ZOO AH-CHOOOO

There’s an outbreak at the zoo! (Of germs, that is.)

A sleepy Sunday is suddenly shattered by a loud sneeze. It’s a “Zoo Ah-chooOO!” The snow leopard can’t help himself. Trashcans, hats and flamingos go flying. Then the African elephant feels a tickle. (An elephant sneeze is much, much worse.) She slowly lifts her trunk and lets out a “RRRrrr-eeeEEE-ahh- / PHOOOO!!!” Trees are uprooted and the fence is blown flat. How can they stop this ah-choo from spreading before the whole zoo is destroyed? Luckily, a vet comes to the rescue with "a SUPERFIZZY sneeze solution"—but not before volcanoes of mud and geysers of water are sprayed everywhere. The narrative may be old hat, but gusty splatters and loud, boisterous sneezes can’t lose with the preschool set. Smith’s frenetic illustrations and wind-strewn aftermath provide an extra jolt of energy to the tale. However, Mandel does throw a twist in the end; the snow leopard starts another contagious chain of events—this time one that readers may not be able to resist as well.

Break out the earplugs, not the tissues, for this ah-choo–filled read aloud.