Module 6: Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham

Book Summary: Z is for Moose is a funny take on alphabet book. On each page is a different letter and a word that begins with the letter. Moose keeps wanting to pop up sooner than he's allowed, which ends up making a mess of the alphabet. Thankfully, Zebra comes to his rescue.

APA Citation: Bingham, K. & Zelinsky, P.O. (Illustrator). (2012). Z is for moose. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Impressions: I really enjoyed reading Z is for Moose. It's funny, entertaining, and informative. I loved the illustrations, which are colorful and vibrant and big.

It's a short illustrated book with not a lot of text but I instantly felt for Moose. I think this would be a great book to share with younger children. It's one of those rare books that is funny and entertaining to both children and adults.

I think my favorite part about this book were the illustrations. They are the focal point and tell the story with a lot of humor. I'd love to read this to my young cousins to see what they thought of it and if they thought Moose should have waited patiently or if they would have wanted to pop up earlier in the book too.

Professional Review: A wry twist on an alphabet story makes for laugh-out-loud fun.Poor Moose. He tries to get into the alphabetic act on every letter page from D to L, but Zebra, who’s directing the assemblage, insists it’s not his turn yet and that he must move off the page. When it IS time for M, Zebra decides to go with Mouse, and Moose flips his antlers—well, his lid. Zebra tries to console the despondent moose, telling him he can still be in the book even though the only letter left is Z. Solution? Z becomes “Zebra’s friend, Moose.” How perfect that Z-elinsky is the illustrator. His often-elegant style turns comedic here, with brightly colored borders framing each letter in a simple scene. The borders become a design device for Moose, as he pokes his head over the edges or stomps the scene within angrily. In others, Moose tries to camouflage himself, as when he squeezes behind an Ice-cream cone or hitchhikes a ride in the Kangaroo’s pouch. Dialogue balloons express Moose’s eagerness, asking, “Now?” and declaring (mistakenly), “Here it comes!” Zebra, wearing a referee’s black-and-white striped shirt and carrying a clipboard, answers, “NO, not yet!” Kids who are learning their ABCs or have just learned them will find this hysterical, and it has great potential for storytimes.
Just label it F for funny. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Review. (2011). [Review of the book Z is for moose by K. Bingham]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved March 1, 2015 from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kelly-bingham/z-moose/.

Library Uses: This could be a fun book to read during story time for children ages 3-5. It allows for audience interaction and would be a story that the children would find humorous. At the same time, the children could help with getting the letters in the alphabet in the correct order.