Z GOES HOME

When Z, from the zoo sign, climbs down a ladder and escapes, he travels an alphabetic trek through double-paged scenes where unlikely pairing of words (one per letter) are quixotically juxtaposed: e.g., Z passes ALIEN and crosses BRIDGE (B turned sideways); on a wharf INK is spilled on the JETTY as a man KARATE kicks Z into the water. Z is an integral participant in each scene such as jumping HURDLES behind two men. Agee’s clean graphic design energizes and dramatizes the bordered pages and the last page defines each word in wrap-around lines. And when Z reaches the end of the alphabet? “Zowie, I’m home!” There’s complexity in the simplicity that should intrigue readers. The Z Is Zapped meets Chicka Chicka Boom Boom in this zany abecedarium that zips with zesty creativity. (Picture book. 5-8)