The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker. Candlewick Press, 2024. 9781536227680






Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5



Format : Hardcover picture book



What did you like about the book? An ensemble of large animals have been marooned on patches of land in an abandoned, flooded zoo in this post-apocalyptic ecological fable.  Water is rising all around as the menagerie is cared for by a giant yellow robot with wind turbines on its back, which gathers and feeds vegetation to the giraffes and pandas and provides fish from a net for some tigers. The robot wades out to its own refuge, (which appears to be remains of a construction site), where it builds a model boat and sets it adrift in stormy seas. The water continues to rise as the robot returns to the zoo; it is able to bring all the animals to a rooftop before setting to work building a boat out of scrap wood and tent material. All the animals are put on the boat (the tigers, wisely, are in a cage) and sail off under starry skies till another storm deposits them on a small group of islands with only stands of palm trees for shade or succor.  Just when it seems all hope is lost, a hot air balloon descends carrying another giant robot (this one is purple and solar-powered).  The two confer, and then load the animals into the balloon’s basket.  A rainbow leads the crew to a beautiful lush island to start anew. 



Another stunning wordless picture book from Becker, The Last Zookeeper opens with wisdom from Jane Goodall, setting the tone for an environmental cautionary tale. It is thought-provoking, worrisome, and slightly hopeful all at once, and no doubt will inspire more questions than it answers. Readers will definitely wonder what became of the humans, and if there are any fish or other sea creatures around (there are dolphins swimming in the opposite direction in one spread).  Many will naturally make connections between the story and the Old Testament tale of Noah’s Ark; the yellow robot even has the letters NOA on its forearms. So many tiny details in the watercolor and pen and ink illustrations warrant multiple readings, such as the flock of flamingos that follow NOA everywhere and the ornate sculpture on the decaying zoo buildings.  Artwork on the endpapers give clues as to NOA’s origin story as a seawall construction machine, but much is left up to the reader’s interpretation, especially as to the motivation for its kind actions.



Anything you did not like about the book?  Younger kids will enjoy looking at the illustrations and figuring out the story, but it certainly requires a level of sophistication to fully appreciate the message.



To whom would you recommend this book? More suited for upper elementary than primary grades, it will be enjoyed by fans of Becker’s previous books and those who lean toward books by the Fan Brothers and the like.



Who should buy this book? Public and elementary school libraries



Where would you shelve it?  Picture books



Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?  No



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:  Leigh Russell King, Lincoln Street School, Northborough, Massachusetts.



Date of review: April 29, 2024