Ready Readers

READY READERS St. Louis Safari

By Sheila Oliveri

Warm winter days are perfect for enjoying the world-class Saint Louis Zoo, so plan a family safari to experience its animals, exhibits and other attractions. Before you go, though, Ready Readers recommends two books to make the most of your trip.

The creators of “Zoo Day” make writing children’s books a family affair. Their collaborations combine the approachable nonfiction storytelling of mother Anne Rockwell with the fine watercolor paintings of daughter Lizzy Rockwell, inviting readers to picture themselves in the story.

“Zoo Day” depicts a young family discovering wild animals in realistic habitats, guided by a map of exhibits, concessions and the pathways between. The text provides animal facts in a conversational tone as the children describe encounters along the route and explore animals native to forests, jungles and African plains, as well as reptiles, birds, polar bears and sea lions.

The mother-daughter duo create scenes that could easily be set in our local zoo, thereby allowing children to imagine they are exploring alongside the family pictured. More than 8,000 preschoolers in the Ready Readers Storytime Program will receive a copy of “Zoo Day” this month – just in time to plan their own Midwestern safari.

“Good Night, Gorilla,” a nearly wordless book by writer/illustrator Peggy Rathmann, brims with delightfully expressive and detailed art. Observant readers should be hooked from the front cover, which sports a sly gorilla making mischief for an unsuspecting zookeeper. The human makes his rounds of the park, bidding animals “good night,” while the gorilla follows behind using a pilfered set of rainbow keys to release the captive creatures. Hilarity ensues – to the chagrin of the humans.

Rathmann – a Caldecott Award winner – uses her vibrantly colored and emotionally evocative pictures to entice readers to imagine for themselves what characters are thinking and feeling. Enjoy this tale with your young readers, and discover for yourself where the story leads. ln Visit readyreaders.org to learn more about the Ready Readers Storytime Program and to join in bringing a lifetime of literacy, learning and love to our community’s most vulnerable children.

TWENTY TWENTY-TWO LOCALNONPROFITS

NominationsarenowopenfortheLadueNewsCharityAwards! CharityAwards

Localnonprofitsaren’tjustthebackboneofLadueNews–they’retheheartofourcommunityandthelifebloodofthemetroarea.

Everyyear,LadueNews’CharityAwardsshinesalightonterrificorganizationsinthemetroareaandalloftheselflessand thoughtfulworktheydo.

Areyouapartofalocalnonprofitmakingadifferenceinourcommunity?

Goto LADUENEWS.COM anddownloadtheapplicationtoday!