My Side of the Car

One little girl and her dad had been trying to visit the zoo for a very long time.  It seemed that something had always come up... once mom ended up in the emergency room instead, once the grandparents (who hate the zoo) came for an unexpected visit.  Will they ever make it to the zoo? Sadie wonders.

Released by Candlewick Press on April 26, 2011, My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer tells the tale of one girl's hope about a long-awaited trip to the zoo and how her opitimism shines throughout every discouragement. She and her father wonder about their weather situation all the way to the zoo, but as readers discover, Sadie's cheerful attitude and giving spirit keep her day looking bright and filled with people happily walking their dogs and eating ice-cream cones.  Some of the excellent things about this text is the use of repetition and hyperbole,

Jules Feiffer, the author's dad, created the illustrations for My Side of the Car. He illustrated The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster, the first book I reviewed on this blog. What makes this book extra special is the fact that the story is based off of a real conversation that Kate and her dad had many years ago.

What are your favorite memories of a trip to the zoo?