Amadou's Zoo

Amadou has waited...and waited... and WAITED for his class trip to the zoo. It is hard to sit still and wait, especially when his teacher would rather talk about rules and facts than spend time with real, live animals. Always one step ahead of his teacher, Amadou eagerly explores the zoo in his own special way—by allowing his imagination to lead. As more and more classmates follow him into his irresistible world of wild adventure, the sepia-toned zoo fills with vibrant color. Only one question remains—will Amadou’s teacher follow, too?

At once an ode to childlike wonder and patient teachers, Amadou’s Zoo encourages the child and adult reader alike to find connections with the world around them. Based on her own observations at the palace zoo in Paris, Rebecca Walsh has delicately captured the feel of both a Victorian-era Parisian zoo and the modern, diverse class trip taking place within it.

About the Author

Rebecca Walsh studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and has worked in advertising, packaging and educational publishing. She illustrated The Well at The End of the World by Robert D. San Souci, How the Tiny People Grew Tall: An Original Creation Tale by Nancy Wood, and The Girl Who Wanted to Dance by Amy Ehrlich. Amadou’s Zoo is her debut book as an author-illustrator. She currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband, and their two children.