Book Review: Maestro Stu Saves The Zoo

Disclosure: Grandma Bonnie's Closet has not been compensated for the following book review. I received a copy of the mentioned book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Title: Maestro Stu Saves The Zoo
Written By: Denise Brennan-Nelson
Illustrated By: Tim Bowers
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Suggested Interest Level: Age 0-4- Age 8
Hardcover, 32 pages

When my children were small we carried on a family tradition where we gathered together to read books before bedtime. With four children it was easier to read the stories before tucking them into their bedrooms for the night. The children would sit around my chair and have a snack of milk and cookies. This was the highlight of my day.
I feel its important to develop a love of reading early on in our children. Finding engaging, entertaining and educational books that children will want to be read to them, is an important part of encouraging young children to read. When I cam across the book, "Maestro Stu Saves The Zoo" I asked for a copy to review! First, I want to give you a few of my thoughts about this book. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! That is one of the reasons I wanted to review this book. The story is not only engaging it is educational with out being boring. Denise Brennan-Nelson's writing style is ingenious. The story is written using idioms on each page. In the back of the book you will find a list of idioms and their meaning. An example is the invitation Lion sent announcing an emergency meeting. 

So, I set out to read this book to my grandson Little Bug then later I read the book to my other grandchildren via Skype. 

First questions my grandson had when he saw the book were: "What is a Maestro?" "Are the giraffes in this story?" My grandsons had to look over the cover and ask all about each animal in the story. Once settled in to read we really enjoyed the story. 

The story starts out telling how Stu had been visiting the zoo since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. It goes on telling how Stu and his mama could hear the animals at night because they lived a block away from the zoo. Mama called the zoo animal sounds a symphony. Stu played maestro while mama swayed to the symphony. 

The story goes on telling how the zoo is in danger of being sold and the animals sent away. 

"Doom and gloom settled over the zoo like a thick blanket of fog as the animals realized they were going to lose their home."

Do you think the lions have a look of doom and gloom?

All the animals and Stu have a late night meeting to save the zoo. 

You will have to read the rest of the story your self if you would like to hear the ending. 

Maestro Stu Saves The Zoo would make a great holiday gift for any young child. 

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What do you think of this book? How important is reading to young children?