‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell: Book Review

Title of the Book: Dear Zoo

Author: Rod Campbell

Publisher: Little Simon – Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

Publication Year: 1982

Pages: 16 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4169-4737-0

Age Group: PYP (Grades 1 & 2)

Genre: Animal Stories

Type: Board Book/A Lift the Flap Book

IBDP & IGCSE Subjects Covered: English, Reading & Library Class

Review Written By: Fiza Pathan

---

Introduction

Rod Campbell, the creator of this extraordinary 20th-century young reader’s classic book titled ‘Dear Zoo’, is a remarkable figure in juvenile fiction. His upbringing in Zimbabwe and his subsequent return to Britain, where he completed a doctorate in organic chemistry, shaped his unique approach to children’s publishing. In 1980, he began designing innovative books with interactive elements and repetitive phrases, like the ones contained in this board book of his titled ‘Dear Zoo’.

In 1987, he founded Campbell Blackie Books in partnership with his publisher Blackie. Campbell Books (as it became in 1989) was sold in 1995 to Macmillan Publishers. He then published several books, but his ‘Dear Zoo’ remains an eternal bestseller even after more than 30 years since its first publication in 1982.

The book is a lift-the-flap book revealing to the reader, or rather the younger reader, various fascinating animals, reptiles, birds, etc., which would delight and mesmerize. It would also educate, edify, and most importantly, entertain a younger reader in the PYP sections of an IB or IGCSE school for hours together, if not months and years. With a variety of noteworthy adjectives to add to the PYP student’s vocabulary, ‘Dear Zoo’, created by Rod Campbell, is a captivating book that can seduce any young student into the charming world of reading. There is no way a PYP of an IB or IGCSE school can go wrong if they choose ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell to read to their students.

Using minimalistic artwork, catchy adjective phrases, and simplistic yet evocative artwork, along with an intriguing and well-designed lift-the-flap, Rod Campbell, the author of this book, manages to feed the fancies of little PYP or Primary Years Programme students. There is no way one can get bored reading this book. Additionally, this book can be an excellent resource for storytelling sessions in a PYP Library Class or Period, or in a Classroom Reading Session, which are some of the best parts of my work and internship at Podar IB, Santacruz.

For a bustling reading life that is nurtured here at Podar IB or Podar International School, Santacruz under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Vandana Lulla – Director and Principal at Podar International School, lift-the-flap books like ‘Dear Zoo’ can be an excellent addition to the PYP library and the interactive reading and storytelling sessions conducted there. Revered Dr. Vandana Lulla, like most leading educationists of International Schools worldwide, is known in Mumbai to be a pioneer of instilling in her students a love for reading, turning every Podar IB student into a voracious reader right from the time they are in the 1st grade in the PYP. It is important to note that she never compromises on this aspect for anything because she believes in the dictum:

‘A student who reads is a leader who leads.’

The above is a tweaking of two quotes, one by President Harry S. Truman and another by Greek Philosopher Plato, as follows:

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” ― Harry S. Truman (33rd President of the United States of America)

“Today Learner is Tomorrow Leader.’“― Plato (Ancient Greek Philosopher and Student of Socrates)

It is impossible to survive in an IB or IGCSE curriculum without inculcating within oneself a constant habit of reading, and this is something that Dr. Vandana Lulla is quite firm about at her school. To inculcate her almost evangelical zeal for this particular accomplishment in every Primary School-going child, books like ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell should be added to IB and IGCSE libraries across not only India but the world. With the aid of a very lively, professional and interactive story-teller cum PYP Library or Reading Class teacher, this book can encourage students to engage with more books which will in turn build up their vocabulary, their creativity especially in reading, writing and speaking not to mention in their overall EQ or Emotional Quotient as they dwell upon the appropriate adjectives attached to every animal, reptile or amphibian contained in this vibrant but yet compact board book.

In this book analysis, I shall dwell on the many concepts that a PYP student in an IB or IGCSE school can glean and learn from ‘Dear Zoo’, especially through constant reading, re-reading, and storytelling sessions at a PYP school library. Also, I will be dealing with the various nuances hidden within this otherwise simplistic book, which would have gone past any other speed-reader, but not me! Rod Campbell seems to be a very remarkable person, and I hope to read and savour more books by him.

---

Summary

A little child, whose gender has not been specified to create inclusion at the beginning of this book, starts writing a series of letters to a particular zookeeper in the area. The child is keen on getting a pet from the zoo, but alas, the zoo seemed a bit confused about the nature of the inquiry. They initially assume that the writer of the letter is an adult and is keen to gain a pet or an exotic and strange pet from the zoo. Remember, this is the year 1982, when Pop celebrities like Michael Jackson were taking in chimpanzees and pythons as pets without anyone batting an eyelid. Similarly, other elitist and upper-middle-class Britishers were keen on having some intriguing pets in their menagerie. This British Zoo, therefore, did not bother with the nitty gritty of the plea but at once began sending off animals in different-sized crates, boxes, cages, etc., to the child’s residence day by day. First, an Elephant was sent in a huge yellow crate, which the child refused because the elephant seemed to be too big. Then a Giraffe was sent in a tall green crate after the elephant was sent back, but the child rejected the tall animal as well because it was simply too tall. After sending the Giraffe back, the zookeeper sent the child a lion in a red cage, which the child obviously rejected because the animal was too fierce for his tastes. The lion was taken back, and then a grumpy camel in a blue crate was delivered to the boy, whom the boy in turn rejected because the creature seemed too grumpy. The list goes on as next in line a snake was sent in a coir basket, a mischievous rhesus monkey in a yellow box, and then a frog in a tiny pink cardboard box with holes – all of them were, in their turn, rejected by the boy. They were rejected because they were too scary, mischievous, and jumpy, respectively. Lastly, after having exhausted their resources, it finally occurred to the zoo keeper and his staff that the picky writer of this letter must be a little child and not an eccentric adult looking for an exotic pet to add to their menagerie. They therefore finally send a lovely brown little puppy to the child in a pet doggy basket-cage, which the child readily accepts at last. Thus, the story ends with the child happy with their new pet, and the staff at the nearby zoo were at last glad to get rid of their unusual pesky customer. Yet they managed to be of service to the child, though they had to do so at their own cost.

---

Analysis

There are a few nuances in this PYP Animal Story book that one cannot miss if one studies the text carefully enough. Here are a few of the important points that a reader, or an IGCSE or IB PYP teacher, can glean from the book:

1. The Zoo Keepers and the Staff at the Zoo:

We notice in this text that the zookeeper and their staff were not at all perturbed about sending an otherwise wild animal to the writer of the letter as a pet. This, as mentioned before, was a time before stringent measures were passed in this regard and before the incarceration of animals from the wild as pets was banned altogether. Animals from the wild would be hunted and sold in crates, much like non-living things, to various parts of the world for trade and export purposes. It was the easiest thing at that time to procure a wild animal in this way, even Gerald Durrell of the ‘My Family and Other Animals’ Series fame procured his own zoo animals in the same manner as he has stated in his book series and BBC interviews. Such animals were brutalized, ill-treated, and at times severely maimed while travelling from country to country or even crossing oceans and continents, going towards England or North America, where there would be some eccentric millionaire takers for such denizens of the wild. Therefore, the zookeepers and staff were not perturbed when they were asked for an exotic or wild animal ‘pet’. That they did not verify the real identity of the letter’s writer suggests either carelessness or a common practice until the 1990s, when the UNO finally cracked down on the export and trafficking of wild animals. A good story-narrator IB or IGCSE PYP teacher can, through some comic gestures and comments, easily alert the PYP students to this element in the story. They can indicate to the child that the zookeepers were so hasty and caught up in their work that they forgot to fact-check the identity of the writer of this letter. Later, a series of letters complaining about the size, temperament, activities, etc., of the animals were sent. The teacher could point out how foolish they were. Only after the return of the jumpy frog did it finally occur to them that the mysterious writer of the letter must be a child. Instead of writing to the pet shop, the child wrote to the zoo in naivety. But the zookeepers had a heart and were a kindly lot, not to mention patient. They always wanted to ensure the customer or patron was served. Since they finally knew they were dealing with a child in the PYP, they spent a few pounds out of their own pocket to get the child the animal it desired —a small, friendly puppy. They thus proved that they were efficient and catered to their clients even in unusual circumstances. A great PYP storyteller teacher during the Library or Reading periods could recreate the pushing, pulling and extra hard work of the zoo keepers and staff trying to shove a huge elephant in huge yellow crate, or the camel in the tall and broad blue crate or the ferocious lion in the red cage all huffing and puffing and sweating it out comically while it was all being done, and then being told that the letter writer rejected the fruit of their hard work and wished for another contender as a pet. This would seem very comical to demonstrate in a storytelling manner rather than just concentrating on the mammals, reptiles, and amphibians in question.

2. Adjectives Used:

Notice the intention of the creator of this book, Rod Campbell, in wanting to enhance further the PYP students’ knowledge of how to use adjectives to describe the animals, reptiles, or amphibians in this story titled ‘Dear Zoo’. Using the appropriate adjectives is a key topic used right from the PYP in an IGCSE and IB English curriculum to enhance essay writing capabilities, especially narrative writing, descriptive writing, and persuasive writing. The following is the list of adjectives that have been used in this story:

1) Big for the Elephant

2) Tall for the Giraffe

3) Fierce for the Lion

4) Grumpy for the Camel

5) Scary for the Snake

6) Naughty for the Monkey

7) Jumpy for the frog

They are all, as you can see, very elementary adjectives perfect for introducing a 1st grade PYP student to the world of literature, reading, and basic grammar. They thus learn the descriptions and main points or characteristics of the animals in question. For example, the Giraffe is a tall animal, while the elephant is a large one. The snake is poisonous and hisses frighteningly, making it scary. In contrast, the frog hops from place to place, making it jumpy. A good Science PYP teacher can further enhance this if the topic is studied in the senior PYP classes in the topic ‘Classification of Animals’, especially into Domestic and Wild Animals, and which of the animals can be both. In that topic, the characteristics of the animals can be studied as well as the general features and functions of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

3. Domestic and Wild Animals:

Here is a list of the animals in this book titled ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell that can be considered as primarily wild animals who technically cannot be tamed:

1) Elephant

2) Giraffe

3) Lion

4) Snake

5) Monkey

6) Frog

The following is a list of those animals that can be termed as domestic animals because they can be tamed easily compared to the others:

1) Elephant

2) Camel

3) Puppy

Please note that, however, all animals mentioned in this book, if reared by humans right from the time of their infancy in captivity, can all become tame and friendly to humans, including the lion and the snake. Maybe videos from Animal Planet, especially from the famous The Crocodile Hunter and The Crocodile Hunter Diaries (1996 – 2007), The Jeff Corwin Experience (2000-2003) and the Wild Kingdom (revived in the early 2000s) of the early 2000s can be shown to the IB PYP students to indicate the same and increase their knowledge about conservation and the importance of reserved habitats and reintroducing animals into the wild.

This may encourage students in higher classes to research the ill effects of reintroducing captive-raised animals into the wild. In tackling this issue, they may develop innovative solutions that are currently in high demand worldwide. The PYP IB student or PYP IGCSE student can then research further into the different types of snakes, frogs, camels, etc., that can make for an enjoyable experience. For example, there are two types of camels in the world: a Bactrian Camel and a Dromedary camel. The Dromedary is the Arabian Camel, which has only one hump, while the Bactrian Camel has two humps. There are two types of snakes in the world: poisonous ones and non-poisonous ones, also known as constrictors. Poisonous snakes, such as the Cobra, King Cobra, Rattlesnake, and Viper, are characterized by their venom. In contrast, constrictors are non-poisonous snakes that suffocate their prey by crushing their bones. Some examples of constrictors are the python, the yellow boa constrictor, and the Anaconda. Poisonous snakes, such as cobras and certain mambas, have large and prominent hoods with speckled bands, whereas constrictors don’t.

4. The Identification of the Animals and the Lift-the-Flap Thrill:

This book can easily be a child’s favourite because it allows the child to experience the thrill of the surprise whenever the child lifts the ingenious flaps of the various baskets, crates, cages, boxes, etc., to reveal an animal, reptile, or amphibian enclosed within. The actual name of the creature is not given in the book; instead, the colourful picture of it prompts the child to utter the name and identify it or them for themselves. This is excellent reinforcement, particularly for PYP or Kindergarten students, presented in a fun way to learn the various names of animals, their descriptions, and their sounds. A good PYP storyteller teacher in the Library or Reading period can imitate the various sounds made by the animals in question for the students, or maybe ask the students themselves to mimic the sounds created by these animals every time the story is told and the flaps are lifted page by page. It would be very tricky for a child to especially imitate the ‘sound’ made by a giraffe or a camel, because usually they have never heard these creatures ever really make a noise. For the reader’s information, the Giraffe makes grunting and snorting noises, while the camel makes a sort of humph sound, as if it is disgusted with someone perpetually! That could make for more funny reading than the usual lion’s roar or the elephant’s trumpet sound. Here is the list of the sounds made by the animals in this book titled ‘Dear Zoo’ for a reader’s reference:

1) Elephant – Trumpet Sound

2) Giraffe – Grunting and Snorting Sound (Like you’ve got a bad cold!)

3) Lion – Roar

4) Camel – Humph (Like you are annoyed!)

5) Snake – Hissss

6) Monkey – Oh-Oh-Ah-Ah (typically like the wild pant hoots of an overactive chimpanzee and their wild cackling!)

7) Frog – Ribbet

8) Puppy – Cute bark or woof

---

Book Review

The book was ingenious, captivating, and thrilling, providing a positive and educational experience that can be a great learning experience for not only PYP students but also PYP IB and PYP IGCSE teachers. This book is enriching, especially in the context of subjects like the Library Period and the Reading Period. In the latter, students can easily express their final reflections, which can help them learn basic sequencing and improve their memory and retentive skills. We are officially living in a world where school students especially right until the MYP or Middle Years Programme are unawares about how to retain the information they have learnt at school or from their textbooks leading them to be absolute beginners according to the IDEA Students Theory of the IB and IGCSE right till the time they reach the IGCSE level which is concerning.

This can be tackled, especially with constant reading and re-reading of sequence-based books in English like ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell. In the Reading Class, one can use a lot of Higher Level Questions and Encourage Critical Thinking among the students especially about the theme of conservation and animal rights throughout the last decade of the 1990s, the early 2000s and now in the current Post-Truth Era where we are in danger of probably losing more species in a single decade than we’ve lost in over 5 centuries! Topics about reserved forests and their pros and cons can be tackled or at least discussed if there are too many Emerging Learners or Absolute Beginners in the classroom, which has sadly become an everyday scenario everywhere you go.

We need to help PYP students overcome the hurdles of the Post-Truth Era and the AI Age before they are deemed unfit even to handle the computer-run machines their ancestors had made. This is important for our future generations as much as spotting geniuses in the class, because, as Albert Einstein once said:

‘The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.’ ― Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist and Globally Acclaimed Super-Genius)

‘Dear Zoo’ is an engaging book that can be read and dwelt on by the students themselves once the main storytelling session is done during the Reading Period. Questions can be appropriately tailored to the suggested theme, and Think-Pair-Share Group Discussions can be conducted to reflect on the animals that resonate with the children individually.

On a personal note, the book was motivating, engaging, entertaining, and informative. It was beautifully illustrated, and it influenced me to such an extent that I even used it during the Storytelling Session at my PGCITE Course while we were studying the major topic, namely, Micro-Teaching. I narrated this entire story to my Professor, Dr. Rekha Bajaj, as well as my Class of PGCITE students (January 2025 Batch) at Podar International School (Podar IB) in an interactive manner, which I usually do while telling stories to PYP students, for which I was applauded. I also analyzed the story titled ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’ by Dr. Seuss in the class before I went for a Proxy Class to teach the MYP Grade 7. I had analyzed Rod Campbell’s book as well along with the help of my PGCITE colleagues and especially with the help of Rekha Ma’am or Dr. Rekha Bajaj who in turn gave me a lot of tips about how this book could be perfect for being used in sequencing topics not only in PYP Mathematics but also PYP English. It was the PGCITE student Rashmi who noted during my presentation the excellent use of adjectives by Rod Campbell and drew my attention to the same. Here are the photographs of that first session in Micro-Teaching:

---

Conclusion

All in all, a well-planned book with the aim achieved to perfection. I look forward to reading more books by Rod Campbell soon, though I am aware that nothing can compare to his evergreen classic ‘Dear Zoo’, which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. The book is part of the Dear Zoo and Friends Series, which contains another book titled ‘Look After Us’, a lift-the-flap animal book for toddlers and PYP students with a positive message about conservation, which can be very effective. It can be a perfect sequel to ‘Dear Zoo’ any day! I also hope to read, review, and analyze more PYP books in the coming days and weeks.

---

Special Note

If you are interested in more book reviews, indie author interviews, book analyses, short story analyses, poems, essays, essay analyses, and other bookish content, check out my blog, insaneowl.com. If you are interested in purchasing my books, you can check the products page of my blog or on Amazon. There is a lot of good stuff to buy! Happy reading to you always!

©2025 Fiza Pathan