Zoo by Anthony Browne

This story relates easily to some typical family dynamics. While the prospect of a family outing to the zoo can be exciting initially, the intended experience can soon be diminished  with kids fighting, hunger, boredom, members wanting to go in different directions and other annoyances. This is what this book displays well.

Browne uses page one to introduce the characters. It’s a portrait of the family from a child’s view-each character.  All are going to the zoo. The book is written in the first person, but the character’s actual names are not used. Their relationship to each other is presented, however. The only actual name the reader hears of is the brother’s name-Harry. This is to present the story from the young child’s perspective.

Browne uses the description ‘really excited’ to set the mood at the beginning of the exposition. The mood soon turns negative as the family antics kick in with hunger, boredom, fights, and Dad being embarrassing.

I like how Browne describes the response as Dad cracks a joke. ‘Everyone laughed except Mum and Harry and me’. This wording shows Dad as a significant person and his position in the family unit.

Mum is the one who’s looks sad as she goes along with the family. This illustration is showing the reader that the families behaviour and their relating to each other at that time is disappointing to her.

 This is confirmed near the end: ‘I don’t think the zoo really is for animals,’ said Mum. ‘I think it’s for people.’

The main character misses the point Mum was trying to make but takes this thought from Mum and dreams about it literally, as he becomes the one who is locked up in a cage.

 

                                        Alex.

 

 ISBN: 978-0-099-21901-9