Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Buy Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: Whatever your age you are going to laugh at this glorious picture book full of innocent fun. Highly recommended - and it's a keeper that will be handed down the family.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 36	Date: June 2012
Publisher: Egmont
ISBN: 978-1405263764
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When it's bedtime at the zoo the zookeeper goes round all the animals and wishes them 'good night'. What he doesn't realise is that the crafty gorilla has gently lifted the zoo keeper's key ring from his belt and is opening the cages. All the animals - Elephant, Lion, Hyena, Giraffe and Armadillo are tiptoeing along behind the zookeeper as he leaves the zoo and goes home to bed, completely unaware that he has all his friends with him. In fact - it's not until his wife wishes him good night and receives a lot more replies than she was expecting that the animals are found out. I'm not going to tell you the rest of the story because I want you to enjoy it for yourself.

Read it through. You'll laugh. I guarantee it. There's no moral in this story ('be nice or you won't have any friends') and there's no lesson ('wash your hands or you'll be poorly') to be taught. There are no baddies. It's just a very funny story that's going to appeal to young and old alike.

Read it again. Look at the toys which each animal has in his cage. Elephant has a toy elephant and a ball with pictures of elephants on it. Giraffe has a little giraffe on wheels. There's a story in every cage. Armadillo has a doll and a feeding bottle...

Then read it through yet again. This time look for the mouse. You'll find him - somewhere - in every double-page spread. Gorilla has some bananas in his cage and Mouse has removed one which he's pulling away on a piece of string. Watch how he does it. Groan as Giraffe accidentally stands on the string and see who's first back to the zookeeper's house. You can tell it's his house as there's a sign on the lamp post outside.

It's a picture book but it delivers on so many levels that you can read it time and time again and still find something new. There's no attempt to dress the animals in human clothes or to make them anything other than they are - beautifully-drawn animals who are involved in a little innocent mischief. If I had to nominate my favourite picture book this is one which it would be very difficult to ignore and I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

For more from the zoo we think that the youngest readers will enjoy Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell and for another picture book about a gorilla which we thought was perfect have a look at Little Beauty by Anthony Browne.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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