Where is the Keeper?

Where Is the Keeper?
Mabel Watts ~ Art Seiden ~ Whitman, 1961

Having a child who has loves animals makes it really easy to find books he’ll love. As long as there is an animal of any kind featured predominantly, he’ll read it. Second behind only Animal fair, this one houses some of my favroite animal drawings.

Originally published in the magazine Child Life, it’s the story of what happened when a zookeeper went missing and the zoo’s inhabitants speculate as to where he might be.

Oh, where is the Keeper,
Who «keeps» at the zoo?
The wolf wants to know,
And the kangaroo.
The camel,
The hippo,
The elephant, too,
Ask, «Where is the Keeper,
Who «keeps» at the zoo?
Is he walking the zebra?
Is he trimming the yak?
Has he gone for the weekend?
And will he be back?

Art Seiden’s drawings are a delight here, creating comical worry on the faces of all the animals, especially when they become frantic as to where he might be.

The wolf’s gaping jaws are particularly wonderful.

Fear not, however. This isn’t a story of animal endangerment, rather the zookeeper is off quietly in a corner tending to three baby bears. In a rocking chair, no doubt!

Also by:
Puppies
Tooters, Tweeters, Strings and Beaters
Counting Rhymes
The Story of Zachary Zween