Amadou's Zoo

Amadou’s class is preparing for a field trip to an old zoo, but Amadou has trouble learning about its history in the classroom as his wandering mind imagines all of the zoo animals. He continues to struggle waiting in line for the train, listening to instructions at the zoo, and following directions his teacher, Madame Minier, gives—his imagination is sweeping him away as he enjoys the animals, dreaming of riding atop the elephants or swimming with a hippopotamus. Little by little he draws his classmates away from their teacher and into his imaginative fun, until even Madame Minier abandons her initial instructions and joins her students in seeing the zoo through their eyes. The illustrations highlight Amadou’s imagination, mirroring his creative outlook through color. First, only Amadou is portrayed in color, then the animals at the zoo, then his classmates, and finally even his teacher as they all join in Amadou’s adventures. While full of imaginative fun, Walsh’s storyline ultimately feels unsatisfactory: Amadou’s disruptive behavior receives all the praise, while his teacher’s disciplined approach—admittedly perhaps too up tight, as she won’t even allow Amadou to stand on one foot like the flamingoes—is abandoned. Finding a balance and mutual respect between to two would have strengthened the story.