Travels with Zozo...under the Moonbow
Travels with Zozo…under the Moonbow is a delightful picture book that encourages learning about nature worldwide.
In A. J. Atlas’s fun, educational picture book Travels with Zozo…under the Moonbow, a family takes a trip to a remarkable vacation spot.
Zozo the pet bunny and her family love going on adventures around the world. This time, they are visiting Zambia, home of one of the world’s largest waterfalls, called the Smoke that Thunders because of the roaring sound that the water makes and the mist that rises up from it. Zozo’s family takes pictures and enjoys the sights before heading to their lodge. But on the way, a group of sly baboons steals many of their precious items, including the camera with their priceless photographs. Zozo soon meets a pair of young elephants who claim to know where she can find the pesky baboons, but the elephants have another big surprise in store for the little bunny.
Zozo is a sweet and curious bunny who loves adventures and cares about her family, which includes a mother, father, and two children. With Zozo as the main focus, the humans move into the background, but Zozo’s bright smile and big, cute paws, paired with her enthusiasm and awe of nature, make her an endearing lead. The elephants who guide her through the Zambian wilderness are spirited friends, injecting joy into the story.
The tale encompasses just the first few hours of the family’s trip to Zambia, though the excitement Zozo encounters is sufficient, and the ending is satisfying both in Zozo’s completion of her mission and because of the astonishment that she feels at observing a magnificent natural event. Facts about waterfalls, rainbows, and animals are woven into the text and the illustrations, as when the elephants tear bark off a tree.
Playful alliteration and onomatopoeia elevate the book’s descriptive language. Vibrant word choices present what Zozo sees and experiences with reverence that mirrors the bold, colorful illustrations. There are myriad tiny details in the background of the illustrations—parrots playing mancala in a tree, genets having a water balloon fight, and giraffes playing ring toss—that are a source of humor for those paying close attention. Characters’ personalities radiate through their goofy facial expressions and dynamic body language.
With bright and amusing illustrations, Travels with Zozo…under the Moonbow is a delightful picture book that encourages learning about nature worldwide.
Reviewed by
Aimee Jodoin
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
