WHOO! HOO! HOO!

Pigs party with a whole host of animal friends on a carousel at the zoo in Welton’s picture book.

The zoo is home to any number of attractions, but today Peg the pig is riding the carousel with friends. Readers can sing their way through the story to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus” as many different kinds of animals join the fun. After the platform on the carousel goes round and round and the poles go up and down, the horses jump in alongside the monkeys and gorillas. The music lilts, the elephants dance, and a festive atmosphere pervades the story’s setting. While the pandas, flamingos, and goats are able to climb directly onto the merry-go-round, “the eagle on the carousel swoops and flies as the cheetahs and zebras chase alongside.” This fun reinterpretation of a classic children’s song is at the center of Welton’s picture book, which is the follow-up to her Choo! Choo! Choo! The Train at the Zoo (2024). Preschoolers may love this romp despite how wordy it can be when it comes to describing the workings of a carousel. Welton often crams what could be multiple stanzas into one, changing the ending of each verse rather than keeping the repetition readers may expect from the original tune. Joubert’s illustrations are eye-catching and colorful, focusing mostly on the carousel and leaving much of the zoo itself to the reader’s imagination.

 An enjoyable but sometimes-awkward reinterpretation of a classic children’s song.