CLASS TWO AT THE ZOO

A visit to the zoo turns suddenly perilous for a rambunctious class in this bouncy cautionary tale. So wrapped up are the children in racing about, watching “hippos hopping in the dirt,” “monkeys eating chocolate dessert” and similar antics that they don’t notice the giant, smiling anaconda slithering quietly up from behind. Half the class, plus the teacher, has disappeared by ones and twos down the hatch before young Molly sees the danger and bravely thrusts a stick into the snake’s mouth sideways. Out march the swallowed—seen in Chapman’s brightly colored, full-bleed cartoons as pop-eyed, dazed-looking and covered in gooey slime. Away they all flee, as Jarman warns, “If ever you go on safari or visit a zoo, / keep your eyes open, whatever you do.” Just the ticket for reading prior to a class trip. (Picture book. 6-8)