The following unabridged reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers. Reviews may be used for educational purposes consistent with the fair use doctrine in your jurisdiction, and may not be reproduced or repurposed without permission from the rights holders.

Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).

From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Zookeeper Amos McGee always follows the same routine. Every day, after breakfast and tea, he takes the number five bus to the zoo and visits the animals. But one day when Amos is sick and doesn’t show up as usual, the worried animals decide to take the number five to Amos’s house to check in on their friend. Erin E. Stead’s woodblock printing and pencil illustrations use color sparingly and purposefully—contributing to the soft, calm tone of this story. Playful characterizations (the tortoise wins races, the rhinoceros always has a runny nose, the owl is afraid of the dark) add to the gentle humor in Philip C. Stead’s comforting story of friendship with a creative and rewarding conclusion. Honor Book, 2011 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3–8)

CCBC Choices 2011 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2011. Used with permission.

From AudioFile Magazine

Consummate narrator Jim Dale brings this story of kindness and empathy to life for little listeners. Every day, like clockwork, Amos McGee takes the 6:00 a.m. bus to the zoo to visit his animal friends. He knows exactly what each animal needs--whether it's a race with the tortoise or quiet companionship with a shy penguin. When Amos gets sick with a cold, his animal friends make the journey to him to help him get through his hard time. Dale's expressive narration, with an especially endearing Amos, is shared in two versions, the first paired with engaging music and the second with page-turn signals to allow listeners to read along with the charming picture book. E.E.C. 2018 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine