ZOOGIE BOOGIE FEVER!

The zoo at night is a hip and happenin’ place!

“Have you ever wondered why all the animals at the zoo seem so tired?” Ever wondered why they sleep all the time? What do they do “when NO ONE is looking?” Well, first the giraffes make sure no humans are around. They alert the elephants, who notify the monkeys, and then the birds spread the word that it’s time to Zoogie Boogie! Every animal dances to its own tune. They warm up with some wiggles and sways and jumps, all related in an infectiously catchy chant: “Look how FAST! Look how s l o w! Watch them TWIRL. Watch them GO!” Some dance moves have names, but others do not. When the zookeeper comes by, every animal stops and holds still. Then they start jiving again, doing the Zoogie Boogie all night long. They’re done just in time for the zoo to open…and that is why the animals are asleep every time you visit (just don’t tell anyone). Rim’s exuberant, mixed-media illustrations combine splashy watercolors, cut and torn paper, and photo collage, all in appropriately robust and colorful hues. They depict animals in boots and skirts and top hats and leg warmers, and they will have little readers doing free-form boogies of their own.

It’s certainly not a completely new idea that the animals dance overnight, but this makes a good addition to after-hours-at-the-zoo tales.