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Be Our Guest!: A Picture Book
From the New York Times bestselling photographer of Beaches , Gray Malin’s Be Our Guest! invites readers to join some incredible animals on an amazing vacation through “superb and ingenious photographs” ( Kirkus Reviews ).
Welcome to the Parker Palm Springs, where you’ll experience a delightful time away, filled with everything you’d expect from a sunny California vacation.
You can sip lemonade at our favorite watering hole, play games with other guests, and horse around the grounds. But don’t expect to find kids and adults here! Be welcomed by the concierge, Maurice, who is an expressive monkey in a red fez. Get a key from Wally the desk clerk. He’s a wallaby. And the owner of Parker Palm Springs, Mr. Parker, is a majestic lion. A camel hangs out near the pool, then roams the halls, looking for her room. She’s a guest, and her name is Callie. Other animals featured include an elephant, an ostrich, a tiger, a piglet, a giraffe, a zebra, as well as penguins and flamingos.
Parker Palm Springs—designed by Jonathan Adler—has hosted many famous celebrities, from the Kardashians to Brad Pitt to John Travolta. But in this picture book, it is the animals who are having a vacation getaway! Bestselling photographer Gray Malin’s vivid digital photographs depict a bevy of different animals wandering around the hotel and its grounds. If Eloise had lived in an animal-only hotel, it would have the style and whimsy of the Parker.
Reading Be Our Guest! will whisk children away on a temporary holiday, which will be nothing less than extraordinary.
“Will capture the attention and interest of young children.” ― School Library Journal
Welcome to the Parker Palm Springs, where you’ll experience a delightful time away, filled with everything you’d expect from a sunny California vacation.
You can sip lemonade at our favorite watering hole, play games with other guests, and horse around the grounds. But don’t expect to find kids and adults here! Be welcomed by the concierge, Maurice, who is an expressive monkey in a red fez. Get a key from Wally the desk clerk. He’s a wallaby. And the owner of Parker Palm Springs, Mr. Parker, is a majestic lion. A camel hangs out near the pool, then roams the halls, looking for her room. She’s a guest, and her name is Callie. Other animals featured include an elephant, an ostrich, a tiger, a piglet, a giraffe, a zebra, as well as penguins and flamingos.
Parker Palm Springs—designed by Jonathan Adler—has hosted many famous celebrities, from the Kardashians to Brad Pitt to John Travolta. But in this picture book, it is the animals who are having a vacation getaway! Bestselling photographer Gray Malin’s vivid digital photographs depict a bevy of different animals wandering around the hotel and its grounds. If Eloise had lived in an animal-only hotel, it would have the style and whimsy of the Parker.
Reading Be Our Guest! will whisk children away on a temporary holiday, which will be nothing less than extraordinary.
“Will capture the attention and interest of young children.” ― School Library Journal
48 pages, Hardcover
Published May 1, 2018
About the author
Gray Malin
17 books11 followersGray Malin is a fine arts photographer and interior designer. He is especially well-known for his beach photography.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 8, 2020
See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...
BE OUR GUEST! is a colorful book of photographs. The book takes us to a hotel, where a monkey named Maurice is there to greet us and show us around. We meet the owner, a lion, visit the lobby and get a key from a wallaby, before visiting our room, the pool with penguins, and then going to a party with plenty of sweets.
What I loved: What really shines here is the photographs featuring real animals. There are a large variety of them too, including a camel, penguins, flamingos, and a pig. I appreciate the message on the back that says that the animals are treated humanely, and for the most part, they seem to be behaving just like animals. The photos also feature lots of bright colors and beautiful hotel scenes. A particular favorite with my toddler is of the monkey eating the remote.
What left me wanting more: The text is mostly descriptive of the scenes and does not seem to flow well as a result. The puns on the animals/their actions are clever at times though.
Final verdict: A great board book for toddlers who love animals, BE OUR GUEST! is a lovely photographic journey with great diversity of animals and plenty of bright colors.
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
BE OUR GUEST! is a colorful book of photographs. The book takes us to a hotel, where a monkey named Maurice is there to greet us and show us around. We meet the owner, a lion, visit the lobby and get a key from a wallaby, before visiting our room, the pool with penguins, and then going to a party with plenty of sweets.
What I loved: What really shines here is the photographs featuring real animals. There are a large variety of them too, including a camel, penguins, flamingos, and a pig. I appreciate the message on the back that says that the animals are treated humanely, and for the most part, they seem to be behaving just like animals. The photos also feature lots of bright colors and beautiful hotel scenes. A particular favorite with my toddler is of the monkey eating the remote.
What left me wanting more: The text is mostly descriptive of the scenes and does not seem to flow well as a result. The puns on the animals/their actions are clever at times though.
Final verdict: A great board book for toddlers who love animals, BE OUR GUEST! is a lovely photographic journey with great diversity of animals and plenty of bright colors.
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
October 4, 2018
Clever, imaginative picture book, where the hotel staff and guests alike are animals engaged in work and play. I like the whimsy of the photographs, the fantastical situations the animals find themselves in, and especially the word play that illuminates familiar animal-related expressions in conjunction with the photography - "ready to roar," let's pig out and go bananas," "monkey around." Fun, colorful, and creative, for kids to enjoy.
August 26, 2019
This is a photo essay children's picture book that places wild animals (think flamingos and monkeys and giraffes) in and around a really nice-looking resort. I can't imagine the proposal and fees the author had to arrange to make this happen. I loved it! Joe was just so-so on it. To be honest, the text wasn't really memorable. But the photos were so cool!
October 29, 2021
This book also reminds me of beauty and the beast! Maurice the concierge is an adorable monkey that takes you on a tour of all the amenities the Parker Hotel has to offer! Through it, you see many animal friends. This would be a good book for classrooms ranging pre-k to 2nd grade and I chose to read it from the Children's choice reading list and is a Magintation book.
January 19, 2025
In addition to the whimsy of the hotel owned by the lion and the charming animals, I really appreciated Malin’s author’s note wherein he talks about ethical treatment of the animals and that the giraffe Tiny stole a kiss when being photographed.
I love penguins, was fun to see them being lifeguards and later playing chess.
I love penguins, was fun to see them being lifeguards and later playing chess.
July 13, 2018
Bought this as a gift for a four-year-old and had a quick read with my three-year-old and she loved it! The photos are stunning and it's something both you and your child will want to look at again and again. I have no idea how he captured such captivating images.
August 11, 2018
Oh my goodness! The photography in this book is spectacular! The prose is nothing special - cute enough..... but the photos provide a backdrop for a TON of stories you can have in your mind (or the mind of your little one)! Make room for this one on your preschool - early elementary shelf.
December 18, 2021
I just loved the vibrant, funny fantasy world Malin creates through his photography in this book. I really want to go there! A great pick for children who love zoo animals, want photographic illustrations, or are about to go to Disney World!
June 19, 2026
Be Our Guest!: Not Your Ordinary Vacation by Gray Malin – This is on kindle unlimited. If you have a little reader who can’t stay still for lots of words per page, this one has fun photographs and a fast story! Happy Reading!
February 22, 2018
A fun photographic fantasy featuring an assortment of animals of staffing and vacationing at the Parker Palm Springs.
June 5, 2018
Pretty weird but the photographs are a real roar!
(Hahaha... see what I did there?!?)
(Hahaha... see what I did there?!?)
July 18, 2018
A unique book with photographs taken at the Parker Palm Springs Hotel with live animals placed in the unique parts of this hotel.
Hidden cover under the book jacket and interesting endpapers.
Hidden cover under the book jacket and interesting endpapers.
July 18, 2018
Vibrant photography brings this delightful romp to life. While the text is a bit lacking, the pictures really steal the show.
August 9, 2018
Excellent photography
August 26, 2018
The photos in this book are cute.
September 30, 2018
I don't like monkeys!
November 13, 2018
A really neat, adorable book!
June 11, 2019
The context of real animals in the photos is so cool. But the story and the bolded words are just too random.
June 26, 2020
This book was kind of weird but then again there’s not a lot of books about staying at a hotel. So...add it to a pet Storytime or maybe a ‘places you’ll go’ Storytime.
October 10, 2020
Pictures are so interesting to look at. I didn't really get why a word or two on each page was in bold, colorful print. Most if them were puns or words related to the animals whole others weren't.
July 19, 2022
This was really fun! It's a picture book for children but I think all ages would enjoy it, even if it's just for the wonderful, colorful photography with great set design!
September 12, 2022
Cool photos, but this isn’t a story.
May 12, 2026
Checked out from Baraboo Public Library in WI, she liked the animals; Checked out from Des Plaines Public Library in IL, read at ZuZu’s house
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews