The Zoo Box

In The Zoo Box, author Ariel Cohn and artist Aron Nels Steinke have combined fantasy with comic to make a comic book for early readers. Left alone while their parents go out for the evening, Erika and Patrick discover a large hat box in the attic, one reading “Do Not Open”. Opening it, an ostrich jumps out. Opening it again, zoo animals begin to fly out, and they soon head towards the zoo. The children follow and discover the animals are the zoo visitors at the ‘human’ zoo. Suddenly the animal police try to capture Erika and Patrick—the escaped humans—but the ‘humans’ run back home and trick the animals back into the box.

A fun, light, ‘what if’ fantasy with a touch of humor. For fantasy or comic lovers, this story has the potential to inspire a child’s mind to wonder what the zoo might be like if humans were in the cages and animals visited. A bit predictable and graphics weren’t consistent, but for young readers who like fantasy/comics, they may adore it.