Wild About Us! by Karen Beaumont - ESSENTIAL

Beaumont, Karen  Wild About Us!  Illustrated by Janet Stevens  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.  $16.99  PICTURE BOOK  Content: G.   

This book goes through a few zoo animals such as a warthog, rhino, elephant and giraffe and explains that they all may have distinguishing physical characteristics, but that is what makes them great and unique.  Although the characteristic seems odd, like flamingo’s being pink, or giraffe’s long body, this book talks about how those traits make the animals all interesting and special.  At the end of the book all the animals are pictured and it says that they are glad they are all different or going to the zoo would be boring.   

The illustrations in this book are adorable and the animals look friendly and fun.  The rhyming text makes it a fun read aloud and there isn’t very much text-only a line or two per page spread.  The message of celebrating our physical differences is positive and this could easily be used to start a conversation about accepting everyone regardless of what they look like.  

 EL (K-3)-ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.