Zoogie Boogie Fever!

May 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-After the zoo closes, an assortment of animals come together to party the night away in an energetic romp. When the coast is clear, the creatures don a wide variety of dance attire, from ballet shoes to leg warmers, and "zoogie boogie" under the disco ball. The patrolling zookeeper's bright flashlight beam dramatically halts the wild shindig throughout the evening, but doesn't prevent the revelers from cavorting until the break of dawn. When the zoo opens, they finally get some shut-eye, with scattered remnants from the night's festivities being the zookeeper's only clue that something was amiss. Rim's spunky watercolor and collage illustrations with textured elements portray a quirky menagerie echoing a variety of dance styles, including a disco-dancing giraffe, a ballerina flamingo, and break dancing penguins. The narration builds suspense before revealing the after-hours celebration by instructing readers to slowly turn the page and "DON'T. TELL. ANYONE." Multiple dances are mentioned and are reflected in the illustrations, including the tango and foxtrot. The visually busy compositions with discordant colors capture the unbridled party vibe, although variations and inconsistencies in the rhyme and rhythm of the text may diminish the energy for some readers. VERDICT Although the illustrations depict funky dance details, the text is lacking a steady rhythm, which stymies the lively subject matter and results in an awkward read-aloud. An additional purchase.-Lauren White, Wake County Public Libraries, NC

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2018
The zoo at night is a hip and happenin' place!"Have you ever wondered why all the animals at the zoo seem so tired?" Ever wondered why they sleep all the time? What do they do "when NO ONE is looking?" Well, first the giraffes make sure no humans are around. They alert the elephants, who notify the monkeys, and then the birds spread the word that it's time to Zoogie Boogie! Every animal dances to its own tune. They warm up with some wiggles and sways and jumps, all related in an infectiously catchy chant: "Look how FAST! Look how s l o w! Watch them TWIRL. Watch them GO!" Some dance moves have names, but others do not. When the zookeeper comes by, every animal stops and holds still. Then they start jiving again, doing the Zoogie Boogie all night long. They're done just in time for the zoo to open...and that is why the animals are asleep every time you visit (just don't tell anyone). Rim's exuberant, mixed-media illustrations combine splashy watercolors, cut and torn paper, and photo collage, all in appropriately robust and colorful hues. They depict animals in boots and skirts and top hats and leg warmers, and they will have little readers doing free-form boogies of their own.It's certainly not a completely new idea that the animals dance overnight, but this makes a good addition to after-hours-at-the-zoo tales. (Picture book. 2-7)

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