At the Zoo by LeeAnn Dominick: A Lift-the-Flap Board Book for Animal-Loving Kids
Story by jilljemmett · 810 readers
LeeAnn Dominick’s At the Zoo pairs colorful animal illustrations with lift-the-flap puzzles for young readers, earning reviewer Jill Jemm ett’s five-star rating.
At the Zoo, a board book by LeeAnn Dominick, turns a visit to the zoo into an invitation to look closely. Published by Taffy Tales and scheduled for release on June 30, 2026, the book combines colorful animal illustrations with lift-the-flap prompts that ask young readers to find an animal on the page. Reviewer Jill Jemmett awarded it five stars and recommends it for children who love animals.
A zoo visit built around looking
The book takes readers through different areas of a zoo, with each page presenting animals in settings described by Jemmett as their natural climate. The flaps give the experience an active element: rather than simply turning pages and viewing pictures, children are asked to search the scene for an animal. That small puzzle can make looking itself part of the read-aloud, giving an adult and child something specific to do together.
Jemmett highlights the vividness of the illustrations as a particular pleasure. Her review doesn’t name individual animals or describe the artwork in detail, but its emphasis is clear: the pictures are a central part of the book’s appeal, not just decoration around the activity. For a young reader drawn to animals, bright images and the chance to uncover something hidden could make each page feel like an invitation to linger.
Made for shared reading and repeat visits
Lift-the-flap books work by asking a child to connect a visual clue with an action: notice, guess, then lift to check. Here, that format is tied to a straightforward zoo setting and an animal-finding task. The structure sounds accessible for very young readers, including children who are still building the patience for a longer story. A caregiver can read the page, invite a search, and let the child take the lead with the flap.
That kind of participation also gives the book room to serve different reading moods. A first pass might focus on naming what’s visible; another could become a slower search through the pictures. The review doesn’t claim that the book teaches specific facts or offers a particular learning program, so its strongest promise is simpler: an illustrated animal outing with a playful prompt on each page.
The board-book format suits a title intended for young children and hands-on handling. Flaps give little readers a reason to engage physically with the pages, while the repeated search idea provides a familiar pattern as the setting changes. The source review doesn’t specify the book’s page count, dimensions or recommended age range, so families looking for those details will need to check the edition itself.
Jemmett’s verdict
Jemmett’s five-star rating reflects an enthusiastic response to the book’s colorful animal art and interactive format. Her recommendation is directed toward children who love animals, rather than framed as a universal assessment for every young reader. For families choosing a short shared read, that’s a useful distinction: the book’s draw appears to be its combination of zoo scenery, visual discovery and simple participation.
At the Zoo is listed as a board book by Taffy Tales, with a June 30, 2026 release date. The review copy was provided by the publisher. Those details sit alongside a concise, personal verdict: Jemmett loved the illustrations and sees the book as a good fit for animal-loving kids. Readers deciding whether it belongs on a child’s shelf can weigh that recommendation against the child’s interest in zoo animals and interactive page features.
For a child who enjoys searching pictures and lifting flaps, the format offers a clear reason to return to the pages. Its appeal, as described in the review, rests less on plot than on the pleasure of spotting animals and exploring the illustrations together.
Book details
Title: At the Zoo
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Format: Board book
Release date: June 30, 2026
Reviewer: Jill Jemmett
Rating: ★★★★★
Jill Jemmett lives in Toronto, Canada, and has studied English, Creative Writing and Publishing. She created Jill’s Book Blog, where she publishes book reviews and other posts.
