To celebrate its 30th birthday, two new versions of Dear Zoo have been released: Dear Zoo Touch and Feel and Dear Zoo Spin and Say.

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The original Dear Zoo book was first published in 1982 and has sold over 2million copies worldwide – it is now considered a classic book for under-5s.

For these new editions, Rod Campbell has refreshed the original artwork.

We really enjoyed Dear Zoo Touch and Feel. It is the classic story, but the frog has sticky feet and the snake has a lumpy basket, and so on. Fantastic for encouraging early sensory learning.

Less inspiring was board book, Dear Zoo Spin and Say. It features two spinners and children are invited to choose the animal they point at. The images are delightful and we think children would enjoy the spinners, but it lacked a clear purpose and a story arc.

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See Rod Campbell’s website for more information on Dear Zoo books and where to buy them.

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