Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo

by Lisa Jacovsky

Harper and Emma are two best friends who first met at the pool in the summer. Emma has Autism which affects her speech, but she does not let it slow her down. She has a different way to communicate. Harper learned about Autism and how to communicate with her new best friend. Now the girls are getting ready to go to the zoo for the first time. What animals do you think they will see? While enjoying the animals Emma becomes excited and flaps her hands, making noises. A group of children come over and begin to point and stare. What do you think Harper does when she sees this group being not nice to her friend? Come find out when you read the next book in the Lets Talk! Series.

Genres: Childrens

15 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2021

Reviews

[Ruthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Let’s Talk! Going to the Zoo, I enjoyed that the author, Lisa Jacovsky speaks about Autism and autistic behaviors in a way that children reading and listening to someone read will understand. We get to see how Harper and Emma react differently to the stimulus of going to the zoo. We also get to see what happens when Harper and Emma encounter a group of children that don’t understand why Emma communicates the way she does. Then, we get to see how the dads of both children reset the interaction so they can continue having fun at the zoo and move on from the interaction with the children who were teasing Emma.

Reading this book to children will educate them about Autism and give examples about how to understand and include children who have Autism when we encounter them in daily life. It also shows the negative side of how we should not act or treat people with Autism. When I read to my 5-year-old, I know that it helps to have both examples. One example of a way you should behave and one example of a way you should not behave. So, showing the children that do not react properly or treat Emma properly will open up dialogue and discussion with children reading and listening. Using Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo, you can easily teach inclusivity and understanding from a young age.

Thank you to the author, Lisa Jacovsky for the review copy of Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo free of charge per my participation with Prism Book Tours. It was my choice to read and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[kanchan bisht · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated book. Though this is 15 pages short read, it precisely covered the awareness about Autism. Many children and adults are diagnosed with autism each year. It is important to be aware or talk about this problem.

The story revolves around Harper and Emma who are best friends. Emma has Autism, which affects her speech. She communicates through flashcards. Harper finds it unique. She learns more about autism and how to interact with Emma.

One day they plan a visit to the zoo. Emma gets thrilled by seeing the animals and starts making noise to express herself. One group of kids start making fun of Emma. Harper takes a stand for her friend and makes everyone understand the situation and helped to befriend Emma.

The author did a great job by pointing out the positive side of the issue. I find this read informative read. the message “being different is not an obstacle for being happy and making friends” delivered in an impactful manner. I recommend this storybook to every parent to add to the reading shelf of their child.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for a good friendship and a book that educates about someone with autism or special needs? Well, Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo is a good one with that in mind. Those that have autism are not that much more different on the outside than any other adult or child. They act differently. They may even think differently.

The girls start together and draw their favorite animals. They both have not gone to the zoo. They would like to go. One day their daddies decide to take them. What kind of adventure will Emma and Harper have when they go to the zoo.

This book teaches about bullying or at least try to educate about pointing and staring, instead of Harper fighting with them or saying much.; As she gets more upset about Emma getting picked on at the zoo while looking at some monkeys. What Emma did when she was excited brought a bit of attention to her. How will Harper defend her friend? Will it work? Harper seems to decide to help educate the children that are bullying or picking on Emma cause she is acting differently.

Harper is confused when a group of children starts pointing and laughing at Emma while she is being excited. How will Harper stop the bullying? When the daddies jump in by making silly poses and acting like monkeys. Will this help Harper and the other children get along? There seems to be fun, and being silly can help educate children or a child about bullying, and acting different is okay.

Children will learn a valuable lesson and still have fun reading this book. Children will enjoy the pictures that stand done throughout this book. Children will learn that bullying is not okay but learning to understand and educate is an excellent way to start. This book and Let's Talk! A Story about Autism and Friendship is terrific to have on your child's bookshelves or even your own if you have grandchildren. Teaching children to learn to understand and to educate is an excellent way to realize that being different or acting differently.

[Aritra Bikash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo by Lisa Jacovsky is a book illustrated for the awareness of autism in a soulful way. This is something we should talk about to address its various sides in society. The simple yet issue which we tend to ignore at some times.
Harper and Emma are best friends who met at the pool in the summer for the first time. Emma has Autism, which affects her voice, but she doesn't let it get in the way of her success. She communicates uniquely. Harper became more aware of Autism and learned how to interact with her new best friend. The girls are now preparing to visit the zoo for the first time.
Emma gets excited while watching the animals and makes noises with her mouth. A group of kids approaches and starts pointing and staring. What do you think Harper does when she notices this party treating her friend badly? How a small girl takes this situation into his mind and learns to adapt according, is the sweet plot of the book!

If the objective of a book is to give awareness shortly and simply by writing a few impactful words then this is by far the best of all. I loved the illustrations of the book which is quite nice and lovable. This is a short read with few pages and can be finished within some minutes but it will cast a great impact upon the mind of the reader.
This is a gem for everyone who likes to read short and simple tales with fine-tune knowledge. Specifically, this is recommended for the kids to make them understand how the person of autism feel and how to accept them as family.

[Suyogaya Awasthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I might hit developmental and societal milestones in a different order than my peers, but I am able to accomplish these small victories on my own time”. The line as used here is quiet relevant with the literary work at hand here as it concerns the overall theme of the book of 15 pages. Delving further into the same, the storyline of the book is concerned with two characters namely Harper and Emma who happen to be best friends and Emma tends to have autism which greatly affects her speech and thereby connoting a different and slowed down speech. Upon learning the same Harper tends to learn the techniques involved with Autism and finds a way to communicate with Emma. As we delve further, the day comes when everyone heads to the zoo and so does Emma where she enjoys the sight and uses her hand and makes noise to show her ecstasy. The same is not well appreciated by others and they see her and point at her and this does not get appreciated by Harper

It must be noted that the storyline is quiet well set and most importantly the level of empathy which the author is willing to provide remains totally appreciable. In addition to the same, the presence of simplistic approach to writing makes this book a must read for everyone especially those between 1-14 age group

[FIA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of two friends, Harper and Emma. Though Emma is suffering from autism, that never affected the pure bond between the two children. One day, during their visit to the zoo, Emma was insulted by a group of children and how Harper stood up for her friend is the premise of the book.

This is actually a very short read for the children. It is for the first time that I chose to read with my brother (usually I narrate him the story later on) and it was fun. He was fascinated by the descriptions of the zoo and really loved the pictures in the book. His expressions and reactions at various points were priceless. Once done, he forcibly convinced me to take him to a zoo as soon as possible.

But the actual aim of the book is to create awareness about autism among the children. This beautiful and illustrative story can deeply imprint the message in the young hearts. My brother is however too small to understand all these, he just went on enjoying the book. I strongly felt it as a must read for the children, as it teaches them to love and treat everyone equally irrespective of any difference.

[Kelly-Ann ~ Sassy Bookish Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book and one that every household and schoolroom should have. Lisa Jacovsky does a great job at speaking regarding Autism and autistic behaviors. Being a former public school teacher I always talked about this with my students so they wouldn't be surprised or dare make fun of others like the students in the book. I know children always have questions so this is the perfect book to explain it in a way that children could easily understand. The illustrations are also beautiful and filled with details that are easy to understand the story.

The story has best friends Emma and Harper who are heading to the zoo. This is Emma's first time experiencing the zoo. She gets super excited and reacts in the way she knows how to express herself. When kids start making fun of her Harper stands up to the kids and explains that being different is okay.

This is a truly a book that should be part of everyone's library. It will spark great conversations and could even be used as a lesson for elementary school students and homeschool families.

[Vidhika Yadav · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant and beautiful work which addresses a very important issue of autism and inclusion.
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With this, author aims to make ths readers especially the children aware and empathic towards autism and people with disabilities and differences.With a short story of Harper and Emma author's giving a message that we should see the person first and differences second.Harper and Emma are good friends and they went to a zoo.As Emma was an autistic child, other children found her differences as dumbness. Harper took a stand for Emma and gives a wonderful lesson to those children.
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We all have some differences and one should appreciate them.Children are need to be taught about differences and they should learn to help others.This is a book which I think should be read by each and every child, it has beautiful illustrations and engaging plot.It can be a great pick as a children's book! And I would say not just for children, for adults also as the society needs to develop a different outlook towards these differences and diversity.

[Shobhad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autism is a condition that is found in kids by birth and not many people or kids are aware about it. That’s why, whenever they see a slightly different kid from them, they start making fun of that kid or even bully him/her. Such behavior is unkind which leaves the child to suffer more.

This is a picture book where there are two kids, Emma and Harper. Now, Emma is an autistic kid which affects the way she speaks and that’s why, she uses other ways to communicate well. Harper, his bestfriend, learnt about it all and now, it’s easier for him to communicate to her.

One day, they plan on going to zoo, where some children make fun of Emma. What will be the reaction of Harper? I’ll leave you to find out. I must add that this is a great way to make your kid aware about Autism and how to behave kindly with such children. Fun and inspiring story packed with amazing illustrations.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book to my children the other day. It was a fun story and a simple way to introduce the topic of Autism to smaller children. While it simplifies what Autism is, it is definitely a great book to look more into the differences we all have.

Just because you think & act differently, doesn’t mean that something is wrong with you. It also encourages children to look beyond the differences and find the similarities that can lead to understanding and friendship.

As a person who works with special education preschoolers and “typical” peers, this book was a bright light and a doorway for other children to gain understanding, compassion, and learn more about Autism.
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Thanks to @prismbooktours for the complimentary copy of the book.

[Jonathan Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The support we all need

I really enjoyed this book for a few reasons. The first being explaining what autism is for those who might not understand it. The second being the support not only the friend gave, but even the parents. Many times we as parents dont do the best at supporting and that made me smile. Lastly...the zoo.. got to love the zoo!

[Nicole Kissell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for understanding autism

I really enjoyed this book and the message that it’s ok to be yourself! This book talks about ways to have positive interactions with a child who may be nonverbal or engage in stimming behaviors. I also like how they handled when kids are being mean.

[heather edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story!

This book covered several topics from understanding autism, bullying, confidence, and true friendship. I love how Harper stood up for Emma when the others made fun of her, and how Harper accepts Emma for who she is. This book is a great tool for young children to learn and understand differences and how to be nice and fair. Would definitely recommend.

[Prince Alade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helps teach kids to be sensitive to autism

Sweet story of a Harper and her friend Emma who is autistic. Through Harper this book teaches kids to be sensitive to kids who learn differently. Great book

[Joni McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful

I think this book would be very helpful to a lot of children. It’s good that they learn about differences before they encounter them if possible. It’s helpful for them to know how to handle differences in people.

I enjoyed how the author spoke about autism and behaviors such as a child could understand autism.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo by Lisa Jacovsky
Dedication page. Colorful, children's book. They are able to visit the zoo and see a lot of different animals.
Even enlarged the print is still too small for me to read it comfortably. About the author is listed at the end.

[Karen Pessoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond words

This is a beautiful book that teaches children about genuine friendship behind words, or disability. The illustrations are bright and compliments the story.

[Casey Morris, · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love incorporating family, learning about people who are different

I loved this book for kids. I think it is great how everyone will pick it up and read it because you think it is about a trip to a zoo but it ends up being so much more. Kids will learn about how everyone is different and learns different and to be kind to others. They will also learn to stand up for others who may be made fun of for being different and educating other kids who are ignorant about what it means to be different. Great book!

[Tee-Hee Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my four year old niece. When I review children’s books, I often use her as my “taste tester”- as children are the target audience for this genre. She stayed very focused during this book, and when I asked her what she would rate it (five being the best), she said 4, and when I asked her if she liked it or loved it, she told me she liked it.
It might’ve been a little advanced for her, but she still enjoyed the story and the pictures. I think it’s a great tool to teach children about autism and autistic behaviors.

[Jane McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful children’s story which helps to raise awareness about autism. It focuses on Harper and her autistic friend Emma. During their day trip to the zoo we get to see what happens when Harper and Emma encounter a group of children that don’t understand why Emma communicates the way she does. The children point and make fun of Emma. Then Harper stands up for Emma. We also see how the dads of both children help to diffuse the situation so they can continue having fun at the zoo and move on from the interaction with the children who were teasing Emma. This is a story about friendship and also respect for others who may be different. Wonderful fun book with many colourful pictures especially all the animals.

[Jessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accepting others

This is a sweet story about going to the zoo but also accepting others just the way they are. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

[Channing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Inclusive Story

This story is great for all kids. The story is a great resource to remove stigma related to Autism. It’s a great learning tool for children to gain better insight into what autism is and how to support and be friends with someone who has autism.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper is best friends with Emma who she met at the pool in the summer. Emma has Autism and she can’t talk but she has her own way of communicating. She can read and write. Emma communicates by using flashcards.

Harper’s dad and Emma’s dad are taking them to the zoo for the first time. They are both so very excited. They can’t wait to see all the animals. Emma enjoys the animals so much that she starts to jump up and down and clap her hands. Emma’s excitement is so catching that it is not long before Harper herself is jumping up and down too.

Some other children who are visiting the zoo that day as well, see Emma jumping up and down and waving her hands all around come over and start to make fun of her. This upsets Harper very badly. It hurts Harper to see someone making fun of her friend.

So she goes up to them and asks them why are they doing that to her friend. Harper explains to them that Emma has Autism and that she communicates differently than they do. She tells them how smart Emma is and how nice she is and that she is a very good friend and that she is no different than they are. Harper stands up for her friend as she doesn’t like seeing her friend hurting.

Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo is a great book for parents to read to their children. It is a great way of teaching children to be nice and good to others. It teaches them that we are all the same but different in many ways. Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo will teach children how to treat others.

Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo would be a great addition to your child’s library. So one-click your or their copy of Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo today for another great adventure to the Let's Talk! series!

[Tenika Bloomfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lesson at the zoo.

Great book to teach young readers about autism and the true meaning of friendship. The writer describes the challenges that a child may encounter due to Autism and presents a scenario to demonstrate how unkind others may be. From this story readers will understand that it’s ok to be different, but most importantly, they will learn to stand up for what is right.

[Siblings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story to help others gain more understanding of those on the autism spectrum, especially for girls on the autism spectrum, based on the experiences of two little girls Harper and Emma. The plot of the story describes an experience that Emma overcomes on one particular day at Zoo when she gets super excited looking at the animals and starts clapping, flapping her hands and making noises. What will her friend do to make us her feel comfortable as other kids start pointing and staring. I will not spoil the fun by mentioning it here but I really loved the way they dealt will such unwanted attention.
I found that the book made it clear how Emma was different from the other children in a respectful manner. The writing framed her experiences clearly, not hiding her reactions (like groaning and stimming, making noises) nor over-explaining the reasoning behind her anxieties about Zoo Day with their daddies.
This is a wonderful book to share with anyone, and a particularly useful book for teachers to use for read aloud and discussions.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genre of the book is a fictional story that is based on real-life experiences of children with an autism spectrum disorder. The book has several components that make it a quality picture book for children.
The story facilitates an exciting plot that makes the story fun for children while simultaneously, exposing them to an unfamiliar concept. The illustrations keep children engaged because it depicts a visit to the Zoo throughout the story, which sparks the interest of most children. The author does a wonderful job helping the reader feel what Emma’s feeling. For a child with autism to see herself reflected in a book like this is very empowering.
How wonderful that Lisa has created such a charming book that casts light on such an experience. Blueberry Illustrations did a lovely job with their clean and expressive line work. What a great pairing of words and imagery. What an important message!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to repeat a lot of my review on another of this author’s books. This is the 2nd book I’ve read from the “Let’s Talk” series. I hate to repeat, but I will because so many things I said before are true here. This is not just a book for kids with autism to read about experiences. It’s a book for kids to understand kids with autism. This is not a deep psychological book; it’s a kid’s book. As I said in the other review, I’m not sure there is even a way to explain such a complex illness. But this is a normal book. It has kids making fun of others which sometimes young kids do until someone teaches them it’s wrong. It has truly good kids protecting those who need it most. It has parents handling everything in a calm and cool manner, and it’s fun too. It has great illustrations, and it could be a source of discussion and learning for a hugely wide age range.

Most important thing is that Lisa Jacovsky write more books!

[Candice Mes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autism awarness

Best friends Harper and Emma visit the zoo and have a day filled with adventure! When children start to be mean Emma who has autism the author takes the opportunity to raise awareness about Autism.

[Roxana Siles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about autism

We enjoyed this story as it helped to describe what autism is. I also loved that friends support and stand up for one another. Good read!

[leslie o baksmaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of deep breaths and I’m ok.

I am mom to a 7 year old neurotypical daughter and one nonverbal autistic 6 year old daughter. They are the best of friends. This story warmly reminds me of my girls and how much they “click” and enjoy each other’s company (ok 50% of the time ). It reminds me exactly of how my older daughter advocates for her sister. So much about the aesthetics of this book is soothing to me as a parent who is sensitive about how disability is portrayed in childrens literature for fear that my older daughter might be generally taught to pity and infantilize her sister. This story gives dimension to both of the girls’ personalities by highlighting many more similarities than differences and the typical friendships that develop when that happens.
I love love love the vibrant colors and quality of the illustrations. I love that the story is narrated in first person by Harper. I have no qualms about allowing my 7 year old to learn about autism through Harpers relationship with Emma. I’m sure my 7 year old would be excited to learn that Harper has a peer who doesn’t speak too and that they have lots of fun together. I like that this book covers just enough about autism to keep it simple and understandable for the elementary school demographic.

I do wish we got to read more about how the girls interweave their two communication styles while at the zoo. I was also a bit thrown off by the dads’ “monkeyed” attempts to trivialize the teasing from the onlookers at the zoo. I drew what I’m sure is an unintended association between hand flapping and acting / looking like monkeys from that part of the story.

Overall innocent and heartfelt childrens storybook about friendship.

In the future, as an unsolicited suggestion, this author might also consider casting her neurodivergent characters as characters of color as well, as another way of generalizing concepts for whom is impacted by autism.