VICTOR TERAN

Our Trip to the Zoo is an educational adventure children’s picture book written by Victor Teran. Landon and his dad had such an amazing time at the zoo. They ate ice cream, played, and met ten different animals. Dad suggested they count each of those animals as they visited them in their enclosures. The first animal, a rhinoceros, had one horn on its forehead. It reminded Landon of a unicorn. What a perfect example for number one! A giraffe was the second animal they saw. She was so tall, her neck was longer than it seemed possible. Landon thought she had a funny face, but he wasn’t going to get too close. The third animal was even scarier. Crocodiles are big and have lots of teeth, but zoos are safe ways to see them. Which animals would be next?

Our Trip to the Zoo introduces wild animals to young children while helping them learn to count to ten. Not only are there ten animals, but each number is portrayed in creative ways that work with the targeted animal. Seeing each of the zoo animals through Landon’s eyes is fun, and sharing in a father-son adventure imparts magic to the day. The illustrations are brightly colored and cheerful, and the animals pictured are drawn in a way that will encourage kids to try drawing them on their own. Caregivers can follow up story time with challenges to find groups of ten in classrooms or homes to keep the math lesson going. Our Trip to the Zoo is highly recommended.

Jack Magnus

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Victor Teran’s Our Trip to the Zoo is a colorful children’s book about a young boy named Landon and his father who visit a zoo and learn to count to ten at the same time by the number of different animals that they see as they make their way through the zoo. Throughout the book, the numbers themselves are even in the shapes of the animals that they encounter on their journey. The narration style is a rhyming scheme which may also help to provide an educational tool for younger children as a way of remembering how to count from one to ten.

Our Trip to the Zoo by Victor Teran really caught my attention, not only with the storyline itself but with the illustrations as they subtly reminded me of comic strip cartoon characters that I might find in the funny pages of a newspaper. There was a nostalgic essence to them that I completely appreciated. If you are a fan of bright and colorful illustrations and rhyming storylines that teach as they go, you will want to share this book with the little ones in your own life, or perhaps as a gift to others with children. I feel it would also be a good resource to have on hand before a trip to a real zoo, as a way to show kids what they will be seeing so that they aren’t overly fearful, and will know what to expect. Victor Teran's Our Trip to the Zoo will surely not disappoint, will encourage young readers and make learning how to count an enjoyable experience for all.

Erin Nicole Cochran

                           

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Our Trip to the Zoo by Victor Teran is a wonderful educational book for the toddler set or an early reader. The story is about a father who takes his son to the zoo to see the animals. During their day, they learn various things facts about the animals, as well as how to count to the number 10. It was fun to see how the son reacted to seeing all of the animals. The book is great for a home library or preschool setting. As I read the book with my kids, I used a think aloud strategy to let them comment throughout the book about the different animals. On some pages, I even prompted them by asking specific questions to stimulate conversation, like “Wow, how would you feel if you came face-to-face with an alligator?” or "What number do you think is next?"

Our Trip to the Zoo by Victor Teran uses simple rhyme schemes and vibrant illustrations to teach kids about both animals and counting. The rhymes help to make the topic more approachable and relatable to children. One thing I especially liked about the book is that it showcased a special relationship between a father and son, as I feel we don’t see that often enough in children’s books. I also enjoyed the fact that the author focused on some more obscure animals and not just the typical lions, tigers and bears. In this story, kids also meet an emu, a macaw, and a rhino.

Lori Orlinsky

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