Pinky Got Out!

It's a game of spot-the-flamingo when the aptly named Pinky escapes his flock's enclosure during a class's zoo field trip. "These birds always stick together," a zookeeper tells the class--meanwhile, a sharp-eyed girl named Penny sees the bird take wing and alerts her classmates: "Pinky got out." The phrase becomes a refrain as Pinky sneaks away to hide variously among meerkats and monkeys, pandas and pythons. Making his debut, children's book app designer Portis moves the lighthearted story along while deftly incorporating facts about different animal species: "Some seals hold their breath while sleeping underwater," says the zookeeper, ever oblivious to Pinky's antics. Illustrations by Richmond (Pax and Blue) will keep readers turning pages as they search for hints of flamingo in each spread (in one, the long-legged bird, sporting snorkel gear, floats among seals; in another, he hides among stuffed monkeys in the gift shop). The kids are glad to share what they learned at the zoo: "Pinky got out!" they shout with glee. And in a final scene that lends heart to the otherwise game-like tale, Pinky perches outside Penny's window at night, sticking with the friend who sees him best. Ages 3-7. (May)

PreS-Gr 2-A class field trip, an oblivious zookeeper, and an avian escape artist set the stage for a series of humorous seek-and-find animal exhibits. After arriving at the zoo, an observant student immediately points out that Pinky the famous flamingo has managed to flee her flock. While the zookeeper stays on script, Penny points to Pinky scuba diving with seals and dangling from trees with the monkeys. By the time the zookeeper finally notices the missing flamingo, the entire class is in on the hunt. They all cheerfully clutch their gift shop animals as they board their school bus, waving goodbye to the zookeeper who has a firm grip on Pinky's wing. This story is similar in theme to other zoo animal escapade stories like Juliette MacIver's That's Not a Hippopotamus! While it doesn't use a refrain or rhyme scheme to propel the story, it does impart interesting animal facts, and the opportunity to find Pinky on each page. VERDICT The bright and humorous illustrations featuring Pinky's gleeful game of hide-and-seek in the other animal enclosures will make this an enjoyable read-aloud for the storytime set. -Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH