This article is a book review of A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children\u27s Picture Books, by Carolyn W. Lima and John A. Lim

Dobda, Kathyanne W.

English

EngagedScholarship @ Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University
EngagedScholarship@CSU
Michael Schwartz Library Publications Michael Schwartz Library
2006
Review of A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children's
Picture Books
Kathyanne W. Dobda
Cleveland State University, k.dobda@csuohio.edu
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(c) 2006 Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Repository Citation
Dobda, Kathyanne W., "Review of A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children's Picture Books" (2006). Michael Schwartz Library Publications. 19.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/msl_facpub/19
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Michael Schwartz Library at EngagedScholarship@CSU. It has been accepted for
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Original Citation
Dobda, K. W. (2006). Review of A TO ZOO: SUBJECT ACCESS TO CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS. Collection Management,
31 (3), 102-103.
Cleveland State University
EngagedScholarship@CSU
Library Faculty Publications Michael Schwartz Library
1-1-2007
A to ZOO: Subject Access to Children’s Picture
Books (7th ed.).
Kathyanne W. Dobda
Repository Citation
Dobda, Kathyanne W., "A to ZOO: Subject Access to Children’s Picture Books (7th ed.)." (2007). Library Faculty Publications. Paper 1.
http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/msl_facpub/1
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Michael Schwartz Library at EngagedScholarship@CSU. It has been accepted for
inclusion in Library Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of EngagedScholarship@CSU. For more information, please contact
b.strauss@csuohio.edu.
 Kathyanne W. Dobda 
A TO Zoo: SUBJECT ACCESS TO CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS 7th 
ed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This article was originally published in: 
Dobda, K. W. (2007). Review of A to ZOO: Subject Access to Children’s Picture Books (7th ed.). 
Collection Management, 31(3), 102-103. 
 
 
Post-print prepared by MSL Academic Endeavors, the imprint of the Michael Schwartz Library at 
Cleveland State University (2012) 
 
A TO ZOO: SUBJECT ACCESS TO CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS (7th ed.). Carolyn W. 
Lima and John A. Lima. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006, 1692 pp., ISBN 1-59158-232-
6. 
 
Quite a few years ago, when I was a children’s librarian, the reference tool that I used 
most often in my daily work was a new book called A to Zoo. It was the best reader’s advisory 
tool for children’s librarians I had ever seen. I also used it when planning themed story hours. It 
was so useful that I kept it on my desk, never having time to return it to the shelf before I needed 
to use it again.  
A to Zoo is now in its seventh edition. This new edition is nearly four times the size of the 
first edition and lists over 28,000 titles in 1,350 subjects in 1,692 pages. The main use of the 
book is still in selecting the right picture book for a particular child with a particular situation or 
need. Selections are geared to a vocabulary appropriate for preschoolers through second graders. 
Both fiction and non-fiction titles are included, as long as the illustrations occupy more space 
than the text. Out-of-print items are included because they are usually available in library 
collections. 
 The organization of the book is still the same as the first edition. There are five sections: 
Subject Headings, Subject Guide, Bibliographic Guide, Title Index, and Illustrator Index. The 
first section is a list of the subject headings that are used, including see references. The Subject 
Guide section lists each subject heading with lists of books following. Books are listed 
alphabetically by author and then title under each subject heading. The see references are also 
included in this section. The Bibliographic Guide gives the basic information needed to find each 
book that is included—author, title, illustrator, publisher, publication date, and ISBN. Each 
bibliographic entry also includes the subject headings where the title can be found. This is 
helpful when looking for similar titles. The title and illustrator indexes give page numbers that 
refer back to the bibliographic guide. 
The Introduction contains a concise history of the picture book and includes a lengthy 
bibliography of books about picture books. This new edition includes timely topics that would 
not have been considered appropriate for this age group over twenty years ago—topics like 
abuse, race relations, violence, and sex roles.  
The subject access is exemplary. Most books are listed under three to five topics. So, if 
you want a list of 47 picture books about quilts or 60 books about divorce or 71 books about hair, 
this is the resource to use.  
The only improvement I would suggest is some kind of symbol to show which books 
were added to each new edition. That would help librarians who also want to use this book as a 
selection tool. This is an essential resource for every school and public library, every academic 
library that supports an education department, and every Curriculum Center library. 
Kathyanne W. Dobda 
Head of Library Instruction and Education Librarian 
Cleveland State University Library. 
 


Review of A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children\u27s Picture Books

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Review of A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children\u27s Picture Books

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