Independent Reading Level: Pre-k-1st grade
Awards: Caldecott Honor (1994) and the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book

Independent Reading Level: Kindergarten- 1st grade
Awards/Honors: ALA Notable Children's Book 1994 ( )

this sweet story is told through pictures with very few words. It shows a zoo full of animals that have a close connection with their zookeeper. The illustrations are stunning, and the storyline is unforgettable.

This book tells the story of a zookeeper who says goodnight to all the animals in the zoo. The gorilla manages to steal the keepers keys though and lets out all the animals. They all follow the zoo keeper back to his house and try to sleep in his room with him and his wife. But his wife notices and brings all the animals back to the zoo. This book would best be suited for kindergarten. It could be used as an example of a real world job such as a zoo keeper, or introduce them to an animal they didn't know the name of. ( )

Looking at other reviews... I'm not going to log every instance I read a book to the child, as that way lies diluting my GR books read (so many rereads?), just the first.

Anyway, with few words there is plenty of room for interpretation and like any good picture book, tons of things to pull out and expand upon (I was looking at the nightstand clock between when Zookeeper comes home and when his missus finally goes to bed), or the toys and things in the animal pens that are probably similar to what's in your little animal's pen (when age appropriate. H is too young for things in their crib). ( )