Summer Camp at the V Zoo Plans in Full Swing!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Zebee here.

Many zoos have summer camps. So, my boss Joy and her daughter Rebekha are planning a great virtual summer camp here at the V Zoo. Here they come now. Let’s listen in.

J: I’m really getting excited about our virtual summer camp Rebekha. You and the other zookeepers have been working hard on it to make it a winner.

R: Thanks mom. Sally and Tom have some great ideas. I like the crafts, education segments and of course the story telling time.

J: When do you think you’ll have the schedule finished? I’d like to start advertising soon.

R: In the next few weeks. Since it’s a virtual summer camp we don’t have to do as much preparation as we would at a brick and mortar zoo. This is much easier and I think the families that participate will have a great time.

J: Good. Keep me informed and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Got to go, I want to take a walk around the V Zoo and see if . . .

Sounds like we’re going to have lots of fun here this summer. I just know you’re going to want to participate. As soon as I know the details, I’ll pass them on.

Bye for now, and be sure to come back Thursday for another great book review.

Oh, and over at Books Go Beyond Reading from June 1 - 12 join us for the “Bounce into Books” book blog tour. It’s going to be lots of fun! More details tomorrow over at Books Go Beyond Reading

posted by Zebee aka Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
You learned that from a picture book!?!
Books Go Beyond Reading

New Bongo Exhibit

Good morning everyone, Zebee here. There’s Jim and Sally. Let’s see what they’re talking about.

J: Today we’re unveiling the new Bongo exhibit. Are you going to be there?

S: I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I bet Ringo and Paul are going to be really pleased when they get over there.

J: I think Paul is ready to get back out on exhibit, but Ringo likes hiding. I think he’ll like the forest we created in the corner.

S: The guests will like it too because it’s close enough to the fence so they will finally get to see him.

J: I hope that Billy doesn’t cause too much of a fuss next door. He won’t be getting as much attention today.

S: Rebekha’s over there today. She’s got something special planned for him to keep him very busy. Something about teaching him to draw. That should be fun.

J: It’s almost time to open, we’d better get going. See you at the unveiling.

S: Bye Jim, see you later.

Sounds like there’s going to be lots of fun over on the other side of the zoo. I’m glad Billy will be busy so he doesn’t steal the show.

See you Thursday with another great book review.

‘V Zoo’ happenings: Summer Camp

Good morning everyone in Bloggerville. Zebee here with some exciting news! My boss Joy, Rebekha and Sally are thinking about having a summer camp here! Think about that. A summer camp at the ‘V Zoo.’ Mori, Lito, Elvis and the rest of the gang here are all talking about it.

Oh look! Here come Rebekha and Sally. Let’s listen in and see if they talk about some of the plans. See you at the end.

R: I think a summer camp will be lots of fun, don’t you Sally?

S: Yes, I went to one when I was younger and had a blast.

R: What types of things did you do?

S: Well, when I was 6 we did things like look at bugs and learned all about them. We even got to hold some of them, the non poisonous ones. We did lots of crafts, all animals related. My mom still has some of them I think.

R: Sounds like fun. I think my mom is planning one day and week long camps for different age groups.

S: That’s what I heard. I know each group will have some type of encounter with our educational animals. They also will get some ‘behind the scenes tour’ and get to help fix diets and learn how we feed each of the animals. Of course there will be lots of crafts.

R: Let’s go over to mom’s office and see what she has in mind for us to do during summer camp.

S: I bet Jim will get to take the older kids to the . . .

Wow! It sure sounds like this summer is going to be fun here. Now I need to spread the word. See you back here Thursday with another great book review.

posted by Zebee aka Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
You learned that from a picture book!?!
Books Go Beyond Reading

Book Launch and TV interview all in the same day!

Hi everyone, Zebee here. Boy did my boss Joy have a big day yesterday. In the morning she had her book launch party at the library and then in the afternoon the show she taped was on TV. I’ll let her tell you as we listen in while she tells Rebekha all about it.

So, mom, how did the launch party go?

Fantastic! Let’s see, we had about 35 to 40 kids there and about equal amount of adults.

That’s really good. Did any of the press show up?

Not during the event, but one photographer showed up after it was over and took pictures of the books. I think I’m going to write and submit an article with pictures to the other newspapers and see if any of them pick it up.

So, did the kids have fun? Tell me how the whole thing went.

Okay. When they first arrived we gave them coloring pages and a small box of crayons. That kept them busy until the show started. When María Chuzema arrived, she was carrying her bird umbrella and the kids all knew who she was. She immediately went into a story about how the zebra got his stripes. That got the kids settled down. She then introduced the book and we took turns reading, her in Spanish and me in English.

Sounds like she really helped out. Did she do anything else?

Yes. After we finished reading the story and everyone applauded, she put on some music and sang and danced with everyone. We even did the chicken dance!

What did she do next?

This was really funny. She went into a monologue skit with lots of tongue twisters and made up words from her show on TV. The kids got all involved and then she started pulling the parents into it and had them act out the other characters in her one woman skit. It was very funny.

Did you sell any books?

I waited until her show was over and then she had me come to the front of the room where I announced the snacks of juice and animal crackers for the children and showed the parents where they could come and buy the books. I sold 23 sets of the book and activity book as well as 5 of the teacher guides.

Wow! That’s great mom! I really wish I could have been there.

Me too honey, but you can watch this slide show and feel like you were right there.

So, tell me, did the TV interview air today like it was supposed to?

Yes, and much to my surprise, they used all the footage they shot with me. The craft she made that was supposed to be part of the show, didn’t make it in at all.

Do you have a copy of it?

Not yet, but María gave me the name and phone number of the person to call as ask for a copy. When I get it I’ll make a copy and send it off to you.

Thanks mom. It sounds like you had a great day. With all this and the reviews we’re getting we should do well.

I agree. Now, let’s go over to the bongo exhibit. I was thinking. . .

Sounds like it was a big success! I can’t wait to tell Mori, Lito, Elvis and the rest of the gang here at the ‘V Zoo’. I’ll fill you all in next week. See you Sunday with more zoo news. Lots of Halloween activities to share as well as other things. Bye for now.

Book Launch tomorrow! Another great book review!

Hello everyone, Zebee here. Well, tomorrow is the big day, we launch the book to the media and then on Friday the book is available for sale! My boss Joy is running around in circles trying to get everything done. For tomorrow, here’s what she’s got planned:

At the Caguas Public Library, La Biblioteca Pública Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos at 10 AM the program starts. TV children show personality, María Chuzema will be reading the book in Spanish and Joy will be reading it in English. There are at least 75 people who are going to be there at last count. We have juice, animals crackers, coloring pages, crayons and goodie bags for all the children. The books will be on sale at a very nice discount. The local TV and newspapers have all been invited, and we are hoping for at least one of each, two would be nice.

Then, if that isn’t enough, that afternoon at 2:30 the TV program she taped with María Chuzema airs. Her plan is to be back home by then so she can watch it with her friends here at the marina where she lives.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day and filled with lots of fun and hopefully book sales.

Now, if all that isn’t enough, yesterday my boss Joy got another really great review. This one is from Ron Magill. He’s the communication and media director for the Miami Metrozoo. He also does regular appearances on the TV show ‘Sábado Gigante’ on Univision. He’s their resident animal expert. He also appears on several other TV shows regularly. Here’s what he had to say about Zooprise Party / Fiesta Zoorpresa:

“Zooprise Party” is a wonderful children’s book that tells the story of an Okapi who believes that all of his animal friends at the zoo have forgotten his birthday. Author Rebekha Delgado and illustrator Joy Delgado use the story to subtly teach the reader some interesting facts about some unique animals. The best lesson of all for the children who will enjoy this book is that friends come in all shapes, colors, sizes, and backgrounds and that our friends represent some of the most important things in our lives.

Ron Magill
Communications & Media Director
Miami Metrozoo

Pretty nice I think. Well, I’d better get back to being a zebra. I’ll ‘see’ you all again on Thursday and let you know all about how everything went on Wednesday.

Zoo News Sunday today we have babies, sculptures, top US zoos and more

Good day all you people in Bloggerville. Zebee here as your roving reporter. Today I have 6 zoo news stories for you. More births, giraffes and elephants, the top must visit zoos in the US and a few others of interest. Enjoy this weeks picks, I sure did.

Five American Zoos That No Family Should Miss Out On
Hey, Rebekha’s zoo is listed here. Can you guess which one?

N.C. Zoo offers walkable trails, natural habitat areas
This is cool! I like the section titled ‘Clip Joint’. Don’t know if I want to clip elephant toenails however.

Baby Giraffe Born at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
She is really cute, but then aren't all babies?

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo removing, restoring Schreckengost sculptures
Interesting sculpture method.

Baby Masai Giraffe Birth Witnessed by Visitors at San Diego Zoo
How cool is that? I’d like to see a giraffe being born. Iwonder if any of our giraffes are going to have babies.

It's a boy! Rose-Tu delivers 286-pound elephant calf
286 pounds! Mom must be proud. I wonder what they’ll name him?

Okay, that’s it for today. See you Tuesday.