ZEBRA AND YAK

Hijinks ensue when Zebra and Yak try to count down from 20 in this elevated concept book.

An unseen narrator asks the titular duo—last seen in Zebra and Yak: The Backwards Alphabet Book (2025)—if they are ready to count. Zebra and Yak are confused when the narrator begins with 20. After the narrator explains that this book is about counting down, not up, they start again, using the familiar refrain of 20 bottles of milk on the wall. But chaos again sets in as Zebra and Yak argue about how to share the milk. By 17, their fighting has attracted a herd of cows. Their escape from the stampede grows increasingly zany, involving a Ferris wheel, an aerial getaway, UFOs, a long plunge on a spread rotated 90 degrees, a series of trampolines, and a stop at a unicorn’s burrito truck. The countdown continues with each step until the pair unwittingly board one rocket ship. The countdown restarts, running from 20 to one, all on a single page, leading inevitably to blast-off. As the two float through outer space, Zebra wonders if they can get more milk. The simply drawn yet expressive cartoon duo, set against solid backgrounds with dynamic fonts, will appeal to fans of Elephant and Piggie or Narwhal and Jelly. The charming protagonists’ personalities, quips, and antics take the story beyond a concept book into a laugh-aloud, character-driven romp with ample rereading potential.

Count on it—youngsters will laugh all the way through.