Zella, Zack, and Zodiac

From the Publisher

"The brightly colored illustrations, with their energetic lines, broad humor, and expressive animal faces, will appeal to children." Booklist, ALA

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

When Zella the zebra gives birth to baby Zodiac, Zack--her adopted ostrich--repays his foster parent by protecting the new colt. Peet's alliterative rhyming fable is perfectly paired with his delectable drawings of jungle creatures. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3 Reminiscent of Dr. Seuss' Horton Hatches the Egg (Random, 1940), Peet's book tells of a baby ostrich, Zack, who is abandoned by his mother and adopted by a maternal zebra, Zella. Zack eventually grows into a tall bird, towering over the zebra herd. When Zella gives birth to a clumsy, big-footed male named Zodiac, whose inability to run fast hampers his safety from carnivorous animals, Zack becomes his ``brotherly bodyguard.'' Written in Peet's usual nonsensical and poetic fashion, this story appears to be wordy and preposterous at times yet comical in its own endearing way. Colored crayon and pencil drawings accompany the text, increasing the humor of the tale. The uncluttered illustrations, showing animals and wide expanses of sky and grass, make the story especially suitable for reading aloud to primary grade listeners. Rita Soltan, Queens Borough Public Library, N.Y.