Module 6: Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham

Bingham, K.L. & Zelinsky, P.O. (2012). Z is for moose. New York: Greenwillow Books.

BOOK SUMMARY

Under the direction of Zebra, it is time for a new alphabet book.   All the items patiently await their turn to showcase their letter... all of them, that is, except Moose.  Moose is so excited to be part of the new book, that he doesn't even wait until his turn.  Popping in and out of other letters, it is obvious his excitement is wearing on Zebra.  In fact, by the time the story arrives to the letter "M," Moose is replaced by a little mouse, a fact that causes some serious repercussions.  All works out in the end, though, and the story has a happy, albeit surprising, ending.

Impressions and opinion of the book

By the time children reach kindergarten, they have heard countless books and songs that are related to the alphabet.  Repetition is vital in the initial process of recognizing and identifying letters.  Bingham manages to enliven the experience, taking readers "behind the scenes," so to speak, of the alphabet book production process.  While it is all imagined chaos, young children will still be able to reinforce letter recognition and older children will get a kick out the unexpected twists and turns that Moose instigates in this postmodern take.  This adult quickly fell in love with Moose and his antics.  I am certain children will embrace him, too.

There are many characters in the story, each of them charming in their own way.  Zelinsky manages to bring Bingham's story to life with his simple, yet colorful pictures.  The pictures and words complement one another flawlessly, and the story would not be the same if either element were missing.  This is a picturebook that will surely stand the test of time.

Full-Text Review

A wry twist on an alphabet story makes for laugh-out-loud fun.

Poor Moose. He tries to get into the alphabetic act on every letter page from D to L, but Zebra, who’s directing the assemblage, insists it’s not his turn yet and that he must move off the page. When it IS time for M, Zebra decides to go with Mouse, and Moose flips his antlers—well, his lid. Zebra tries to console the despondent moose, telling him he can still be in the book even though the only letter left is Z. Solution? Z becomes “Zebra’s friend, Moose.” How perfect that Z-elinsky is the illustrator. His often-elegant style turns comedic here, with brightly colored borders framing each letter in a simple scene. The borders become a design device for Moose, as he pokes his head over the edges or stomps the scene within angrily. In others, Moose tries to camouflage himself, as when he squeezes behind an Ice-cream cone or hitchhikes a ride in the Kangaroo’s pouch. Dialogue balloons express Moose’s eagerness, asking, “Now?” and declaring (mistakenly), “Here it comes!” Zebra, wearing a referee’s black-and-white striped shirt and carrying a clipboard, answers, “NO, not yet!” Kids who are learning their ABCs or have just learned them will find this hysterical, and it has great potential for storytimes.

Just label it F for funny. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus (2012). [Review for the book Z is for moose, by K. Bingham and P. Zelinsky].   Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kelly-bingham/z-moose/

Library Use

I was curious about the collaboration process of Bingham and Zelinsky.  I've heard that often times, the author and illustrator of a picture book work independently of one another, and I was interested to know if this was the case for Z is for Moose.  My curiosity led me to a wonderful interview with both author and illustrator (the link is below, if you want to check it out).  I also stumbled upon a book trailer created by Bingham and Zelinsky (also listed below).  It is sheer perfection, and something I think students would love to see.  

In Brehl's (2012) interview, Bingham reveals that her son was the inspiration behind the book.  Four at the time, he was tired of the straightforward alphabet books he kept reading, and wanted a funny alphabet book. After watching the trailer and hearing the book, allowing students to create an alphabet book in a different style would be a great task.  There is even the potential for students to publish their works through a student publishing program (ie- Student Treasures, Bookemon, Classroom Authors, etc.) and add them to the school collection.

Hall, B. and Zelinsky, P (2012, June 11).  Behind the scenes with Kelly and Paul. Retrieved    from https://youtu.be/aP52OtZxPdg

S. Brehl (2012, May 6). Z is for Zelinsky, and Bingham, too! [Web log comment]. Retrieved     from http://unpackingpicturebookpower.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/z-is-for-zelinsky-and-    bingham-too.html