The Minnow picked this out in the library the other day. The crazy creatures are fun, especially the elephant-cat. I had to stop after a bit and ask her how she feels about "capturing" animals. I told her zoos don't do that anymore. I was also disturbed by the racist images of Asians and Africans (not named as such but obvious). Luckily, I don't think the Minnow understands what they are supposed to represent...the people just look as strange as the creatures. I noticed they've updated other books to remove the stereotypes (like The Nose Book) and it would be nice if they could do the same here: maybe it could be about saving endangered creatures or seeing them in nature.
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If I Ran the Zoo
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
A better and brighter zoo than the ones we know.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 4 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
What Parents Need to Know
About If I Ran the Zoo
Parents need to know that the cut-up verse skips like a step-dancing troupe, the creatures are crazily imaginative concoctions, and the narrator is amusing -- and enviable.
Read our full review by Peter Lewis
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about what animals they would want to have in a zoo. They also can talk about the now-dated racial stereotyping in the book. How have attitudes changed over time? How does the media reflect changing values?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 3 and give itMy concerns are:
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Great illustrations
Keep in mind it's from the 1950s...
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Lesson for Life
Great story for the imagination of kids, but there's also a meaning that has stayed with me my whole life. Even though the main person in the story says he would do all these wonderful things, in the end we realize they don't really exist. Many could not even function in real life. Before I got into management, I often wondered at the great things I would do "If I ran the Zoo". It took becoming one to realize that many of those things also don't exist in real life!
- I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it
Great story, but the pictures can be VERY stereotypical of certain minorities...
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say there are great illustrations |
| 100% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
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