Green Daily

Who loves the zoo? Oh, right! All of us! Supposedly today is Zoo Lovers Day, although from what I can figure out that's a pretty genius public relations invention to promote What's New at the Zoo? by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Joan Waites.

I haven't read the book, but from what I can see online it looks pretty adorable. It's a picture book for kids, using the scenario of a visit to the zoo to teach some basic addition concepts. Cute, right?

Anything that encourages kids to read and love animals is a good idea, so I'm game -- let's celebrate Zoo Lovers Day!

To "observe" the holiday, plan a trip to a zoo in your area. Like I suggested on Monday, this is a great time of year to take the kids to see all of the adorable baby animals. If you'd prefer to avoid the vivid scents of a petting zoo, you can look for a slightly less hands on experience/more traditional zoo at the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.

After your trip, swing by the library and check out a book or two about your favorite animal -- I'm guessing it will be a chimp or a panda, but maybe that's just me. Then, using your new knowledge, write a thank you note to the zoo, perhaps illustrating it with bright crayon drawings.

Uh, sure, my suggestions are theoretically meant for kids, but I know one or two grown ups who might enjoy this process, too!