A furry good read (Buster's Zoo - Rod Campbell)

Member Name: HonestBob

Product:	Buster's Zoo - Rod Campbell
Date:	29/09/08 (71 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interactive, not too much text, lovely bright, sturdy book.

Disadvantages: Perhaps a little repetitive on the short brown fur, but there is lots more to feel too.

I bought this book for my son when he was 8 months old and I was beginning to introduce him to picture books and stories. It is a touch-and-feel book so provided the opportunity for my son to interact with the pages, and gave us a chance for a cuddle too.

This card book was first published in 2006. The story is only 12 pages long with text on the left and a brightly coloured picture on the right. The text consists of just one or two large print sentences per page and the language is simple with some degree of repetition, all good when reading to a young baby or toddler.

The story focuses on Buster, a blonde red dungareed toddler, and his visit to the zoo. We find out what each animal is doing and how Buster feels about this. He laughs at the penguin's funny walk, likes to hear the lion roar and likes watching the polar bear eat fish. Each picture page includes an area for baby to touch. Some are very similar, short brown hair, but others, like the polar bears long white hair and the scaly patches on the snake make an interesting contrast.

I bought this book while on a visit to the Zoo and we've read it together regularly over the last year. It has withstood the batterings of my overenthusiastic son with only a few tiny indentations on the front cover. The fold up elephant carriage remainst intact and as this is made from thin cardboard I'd expected it to be torn off, or at least ripped by now.

At £4.99 from the Zoo this has proved a good buy and I anticipate reading it many more times in the future.

Summary: A fantastic book which will be read over and over again.