Amadou's Zoo

Amadou has waited...and waited... and WAITED for his class trip to the zoo. It is hard to sit still and wait, especially when his teacher would rather talk about rules and facts than spend time with real, live zoo animals. His teacher’s idea of a perfect trip to the zoo is very different from Amadou’s! Always one step ahead of his teacher, Amadou eagerly explores the zoo in his own special way—by allowing his imagination to lead. As more and more classmates follow him into his irresistible world of wild, imaginative adventure, the sepia-toned zoo turns into a world of vibrant color. Only one question remains—will Amadou’s teacher follow, too?

At once an ode to childlike wonder and patient teachers, Amadou’s Zoo encourages the child and adult reader alike to find connections with the world around them. Set in France and based on her own observations at the palace zoo in Paris, Rebecca Walsh has delicately captured the feel of both a Victorian-era Parisian zoo and the modern, diverse class field trip taking place within it.