Happy Zappa Cat

Steve Webb wrote the hugely successful Tanka Tanka Skunk, such a treat to read aloud, and brilliant for class participation. This book begins with a glorious tongue twister on a double spread showing a densely populated city street; Cat Zappa, happy Zappa, happy Zappa cat, zipping through the city in his city kitty cab. Happy Zappa Cat picks up two long necks, some trunkies and a snapper, stuffing them into his bright red taxi. The bouncing, rhyming text, matched with bright illustrations, pushes the story on. His passengers sigh, telling H.Z.C. the city has been great, but oh, how they miss the wild, their home. Zooming along to the airport, they persuade H.Z.C. to accompany them across the world on their journey home. Such an amazing contrast to the busy city, can H.Z.C. adapt, and live happily with stripeys, spotties and sliders, and great hairy spiders?? His abundant new friends are sad H.Z.C. so mourns for the bright lights. There’s no place like home! The pictures throughout give lots of talking points about the different environments. Like Tanka Tanka Skunk, it is a book to re-read again and again; at speed, to enjoy the bouncy rhythms and choice of words; or leisurely, to enjoy all the activities in the illustrations.