View source for The Way To The Zoo by John Burningham

{{infobox1
|title=The Way To The Zoo
|sort=Way To Zoo, The
|author=John Burningham
|reviewer=Zoe Morris
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1406348408
|pages=30
|publisher=Walker
|date=April 2014
|summary=Brilliant fun for those who live in a zoo, or who just feel like they do, this is a fun-filled frolic you couldn't not love. I'd give it 6 out of 5 if I could.
|cover=1406348406
|aznuk=1406348406
|aznus=1406348406
}}
It's easy to lie in bed and see shadows on the wall and imagine what they could be. I still do it now though I know better than to think something that looks like, say, a door in the wall, might be a portal to another universe. Sylvie, though, wants to double check when SHE sees what looks like a door and it’s just as well she does, because lo and behold it IS a door and it DOES lead somewhere. It goes all the way to the zoo! All the animals look nice and friendly so because it’s getting late and she has school in the morning, Sylvie heads back to bed and invites a little bear to come with her for the night. She has her own real live teddy. What fun.

Of course all the animals want to come with her, but she has to be sensible and get them to take turns. The little ones are easier, especially the cuddly, furry ones. The penguins want to come but they’re a bit messy even when she runs them a bath, and they splash all over the place. The tiger is a bit large so she has to take the chair while Sylvie snuggles up with her cub. She is nice and invites the birds though I do wonder what sort of state they leave her room in, seeing as what happened when a crow flew down our chimney at the weekend and pooed all over the study (true story!)

This is a wickedly fun book and every page is a new adventure. Who on earth will come back with her next? Everyone wants to! Sylvie is being so careful and fair too, letting everyone take turns, but when a morning of oversleeping leads to an oversight, disaster strikes. Can Sylvie sort it out before her mum gets home?

I giggled my way through this book. The illustrations are lovely, and the wording is simply perfect for reading aloud and building the suspense. It’s all very ''My Naughty Little Sister'' and I can just imagine adopting the same voice to read these as my mother used to read those.

I couldn’t pick a single thing to fault with this book. It’s brilliant and I wish I could read it again for the first time because that first reading was delightful. Sylvie is ace and I’d love to follow her in further adventures, should she wish to share them with us.

Thanks go to the publishers for supplying this book.

[[Mungo Monkey has a Birthday Party by Lydia Monks]] is also great fun for this age group.

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