Kathleen Welton

Inspired by a well-known children’s song, Whoo! Hoo! Hoo! The Carousel at the Zoo, by Kathleen Welton, is a fun and interactive picture book and sing-along experience. The book features a variety of zoo animals as they have fun riding on a fairground carousel. The rhythm is based on the classic, ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ tune. Each spread introduces different zoo animals, or different features of the carousel, as it spins around and around. We see horses galloping and neighing, elephants stomping and swaying, and pandas romping and rolling along to their favourite sing-along tune.

Beautifully written, with lots of playful rhyme and alliteration, children will enjoy singing along. The repetitive structure and memorable tune, make it easy for young children to join in.

The vibrant illustrations capture the fun at the fair perfectly. I particularly enjoyed the expressions of the different animal characters in lots of silly scenarios. Young children will love spotting their favourite creatures and predicting the next verse.

Based on a well-known song, young children will enjoy this fresh take on a children’s classic. Perfect for pre-schoolers and early learners, this book will help with language development and spark a love of storytelling.

Star rating: 5 Stars 

Summary: A super, interactive picture book, with a multitude of zoo animals, a fun fairground ride, and a familiar sing-along-tune.