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YOU CAN’T SEE A DODO AT THE ZOO

Name: YOU CAN’T SEE A DODO AT THE ZOO
Author: Fred Ehrlich
ISBN: 1-59354-072-8

by Fred Ehrlich & illustrated by Amanda Haley ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2005

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Ehrlich and Haley team up again in this informative exploration of extinct and endangered animals. In clear and descriptive language, Ehrlich explains why the animals are gone or almost gone. He peppers the text with poems, too, but they’re a distraction. Many of them are just plain uninspired, including the titular verse: “Oh you can’t see a dodo at the zoo. / You can look until your face is turning blue. / Even if it makes you mad, / Or very, very sad, / You still can’t see a dodo at the zoo.” Haley’s playful illustrations, which appear to be rendered in pen and ink, have a childlike appeal. Though flawed, this is a good introduction to the subject and will likely whet reader’s appetites. (glossary) (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-10)

Pub Date: April 1, 2005

ISBN: 1-59354-072-8

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Blue Apple

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2005

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
A BUNNY IS FUNNY
by Harriet Ziefert and Fred Ehrlich & illustrated by Todd McKie

- BOOK REVIEW
YOU CAN’T LAY AN EGG IF YOU’RE AN ELEPHANT
by Fred Ehrlich & illustrated by Amanda Haley

- BOOK REVIEW
DOES A SEAL SMILE?
by Fred Ehrlich & illustrated by Emily Bolam

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DECOY SAVES OPENING DAY

by Shohei Ohtani & Michael Blank ; illustrated by Fanny Liem ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2026

A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts.

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Ohtani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams up with Blank and Liem to tell the story of how his dog, Decoy, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.

It’s a big day! Decoy leaps “off the bed. Then back onto the bed. Then off the bed.” The enthusiastic pup heads outside to practice with his lucky baseball but is quickly distracted by squirrels (“we’ll play later!”), airplanes (“flyin’ high!”), and flowers (“smell ya soon!”). Dog and pitcher then head to the ballpark. In the locker room, Decoy high-paws Shohei’s teammates. It’s nearly time! But as Shohei prepares to warm up, Decoy realizes that he’s forgotten something important: his lucky ball. Without it, there will be “no championships, no parades, and no hot dogs!” Back home he goes, returning just in time. With Shohei at the plate, Decoy runs from the mound to his owner, rolling the ball into Shohei’s mitt for a “Striiiiike!” Related from a dog’s point of view, Ohtani and Blank’s energetic text lends the tale a sense of urgency and suspense. Liem’s illustrations capture the excitement of the first day of baseball season and the joys of locker room camaraderie, as well as Shohei and Decoy’s mutual affection—even when the ball is drenched in slobber, Shohei’s love for his pet shines through, and clearly, Decoy is focused when it matters.

A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026

ISBN: 9780063460775

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

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UNSETTLING SALAD!

From the Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales! series

by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Peter Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2026

Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.

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In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.

With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.

Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)