Llama Llama Zippity-Zoom

Llama Llama

by Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama ZIP!
Llama Llama ZOOM!
Llama Llama Red Pajama
VROOM, VROOM, VROOM!

On the playground, Llama goes fast! Llama zips by on his scooter and swishes down the slide--whoosh! These board books are more than great read-alouds--they're great act-alongs, too! Younger audiences will love doing as Llama does in these supremely adorable, incredibly engaging new board books.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Poetry, Transport, Storytime

14 pages, Board Book

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Anna Dewdney was an award-winning children's-book author, illustrator, teacher, mother, and enthusiastic proponent of literacy and reading aloud to children. She was the author of the bestselling Llama Llama Red Pajama series of picturebooks, among many others. She lived with her partner Reed Duncan in Vermont where she worked, gardened, and spent time with her daughters and dogs.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, for the people who would say, "why are you counting this to your total for the year?" Simple, I've read this book at least 30 times this past year, which at 12 pages each time equals out to be 360 pages. Cormac McCarthy's apocalyptic epic Blood Meridian is 337 pages. I can count Blood Meridian, I can count Llama Llama Zippty-Zoom!

Second, this book is a blast to read. You can read it essentially singing it. You can read it to emphasize the sound effects. Or just read it straight. All of the Llama Llama books are absolute treasures in Children's literature.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another of the Llama Llama board books for very young readers. I was taken aback when I opened up the e-book because Llama's ears were waving in the breeze on the cover! The motion continues on the pages, with ears and tails wagging. I'm not sure I really like this e-book feature; it was kind of distracting for me.

The other problem is that this particular e-book is missing nearly 1/4 of the text. The rhyme is supposed to go:

Llama Llama ZIP!
Llama Llama ZOOM!
Llama Llama Red Pajama
VROOM, VROOM, VROOM!

Unfortunately, in my copy, the last line was cut (in the first two out of the three stanzas), so it read:

Llama Llama ZIP!
Llama Llama ZOOM!
Llama Llama Red Pajama

I thought maybe Dewdney had really dropped the ball with her writing! But it's just the stupid e-book conversion. (I still have no idea what the last line of the second stanza is. Something that rhymes with "swoosh", I'm guessing...)

The illustrations don't impress me, either. Again, I think it's something to do with the animated e-book format, but Llama and Nelly often have pure white eyes (creepy!) or they look half asleep. I'm guessing there's supposed to be some blinking or something going on there, but it's not working as planned.

I might've rated this higher had it just been a regular e-book (or board book), but since this is the version I read, this is the version I'm going to rate. I just wish those missing lines had been included. I'm guessing they rhyme, but... I really don't know!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter loves Llama Llama, and this is arguably her most requested book in the series. It falls under the author’s more quick and simple sub-set of stories. It includes lot of actions and sounds, and playground pictures that make for a fun and relatable read-aloud book.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've read many of the books in the Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney and they are really fun books to read aloud.

Unfortunately our girls are growing out of books like this, so I have to sneak them in on my own when I get a chance. This is a short and cute book that encourages being active and zooming around.

There's lots of onomatopoeia and I'm sure that the littlest ones will want to hop and clap along with this book.

The narrative and illustrations are just as adorable and entertaining as I've come to expect with these books.

The one thing I don't understand is that they keep saying 'red pajama' and the little llama is not wearing red pajamas. I think it could be confusing for a wee little one.

I see a trend with this, especially now that I've also read Llama Llama Hoppity-Hop! I'm sure it's intentional, and the point is just to make a fun rhyme to read aloud and refer back to the original book in the series.

[Sara (Sjthroughthelookingglass) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter finds the book no matter where it is on her shelves. She loves pointing at the ball, at the car, trying to make the vroom noises from one of the pages... it's a favorite.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute introduction to the llama and onomatopoeia for tiny humans.

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite (of mine, at least).

[Jem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lame lame llama. Shit didn't even rhyme.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My two-year-old son digs through all the secondhand board books randomly strewn about his room from his previously neatly organized cube storage shelves JUST to grab this one single book and bring it to me. He pushes it into my hands and begs urgently, "Mama, Mama!"

I have read this one countless times since he first discovered it, and it has been a joy to hear him learn how to enunciate the onomatopoeias and join in. He's really starting to catch on to the "z" sound when we're reading "zip/zoom" and he has always loved saying "beep" and "bop." He also usually asks for a popsicle when we're finished because the llamas eat popsicles under a tree in the end. He would absolutely give it five stars.

[Harris Kauffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this essential installment of the Llama Llama omnibus, red pajamas are given less literary and illustrative value. Rather, the emphasis is placed on the activities of a day on the playground. Onomatopoeia is used to incite energetic movements. Indeed, Llama Llama and his frequent companion, the anthropomorphized wildebeest Nelly Gnu, seem to dance across the page in a vivacious testament to the act of recreation. The work, in its lyricism, its vibrancy, and its decidedly anti-grandiloquence diction, is a spartan celebration of play.

[Kayse Maass · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much shorter book than the original Llama Llama Red Pajama book, but still filled with lyrical rhymes:

Llama llama zip
Llama llama zoom (turn page)
Llama lama vroom vroom vroom (turn page)

Although it is short it is a great length to capture my infants attention and calm him down for a nap. He rhyming seems to calm him so sometimes I’ll read the book a few times in a row to get him to sleep.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow, how fun this is to read aloud, to almost sing! After a few readings, even toddlers will have some of the lines memorized, because the lines flow so perfectly. And there will be more than a few readings, I promise. And your little one may be inspired to go outside and play - always a good thing!

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book that illustrates so many of the toys children love to move with and play on. The onomatopoeia keeps the book fresh and fun

**What ways to you like moving / traveling? Do you prefer to go fast or slow? Why?

[Alison Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is classic Anna Dewdney mini-sized. Written in her distinctive rhythmic style it is perfect for reading aloud. It has a subtle message about friendship slipped in but its basically just a short, fun read. If your child enjoys this than read more Anna Dewdney, of course!

[Juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

It really bothered me that the book says “llama llama red pijamas” so many times. The llama is not on his pijamas. My little one loves everything “llama llama”, so we have covered a lot of the text with our own version.

[Spencer & Theo Pilot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t expect this to be like the original llama story.

This is a very short book with just subject (creative) verb sentences.

A great book for “one more book” before nap or school. Very cute illustrations.

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Screech, Clunk, Stop." Fun onomatopoeia demanding an "again!" I love seeing the kids spend all their time with active outdoor vehicles and play equipment. But, Nelly Gnu is on every page and not mentioned once!?

[Annie Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can never go wrong with a Llama Llama book!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! Great for baby/toddler story time. Good rhythm and flow.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son's absolute favorite book at 7 months old! We read it many times a day, and he actually chooses this book to bring to me, which is adorable to see!

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollicking good time. Excellent onomatopoeia. Simple plot conveyed with minimal words. Rhythmic rhyming at its best.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

this fun childrens book is about llama playing with his friends racing around and swinging and in the end he ends up tired out and all sitting under the tree relaxing

[Austin Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Llama Llama Zippity-Zoom deals with sound effects. It is a simple 30 second read.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Nice flow to the text. Fun little read.

[Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are great but there isn't much to this story.

[Lillith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it because I like that it kept saying "whoosh!" And I liked it because it kept saying, "Llama llama red pajama."

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short rhyming book about having fun outside with a friend.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very simple story, the activities are slightly advanced for the toddler age the reading level aims at, but the simple rhymes are ok.

[MacK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me: maybe the funniest in the Dewdny board book collection. Especially contrast between action and ending.

Alex: I love the racing, but it's a little short

Owen: vroom!! Too short!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unsure about this one. May read it to Baby Girl and see how she likes it. Could be a fun way to introduce onomatopoeia.