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Professor Wormbog in Search for the Zipperump-a-Zoo
Professor Wormbog is missing a Zipperump-a-Zoo from his collection of beasts, so he sets off in search of one—a search that takes him all over the world.
If you open almost any of award-winning author/illustrator Mercer Mayer’s 250+ children’s books you’ll see dragons, cuddly monsters, wonderful creatures, and endearing critters. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Mr. Mayer spent his childhood hunting lizards and snakes in the swamps by his home. During his teenage years, he lived in Hawaii where he attended the Honolulu Academy of Arts. He later received additional training at the Art Students League in New York City. Upon completion of his studies he set out with pen and ink to write and illustrate adventures he experienced as a child.
If you open almost any of award-winning author/illustrator Mercer Mayer’s 250+ children’s books you’ll see dragons, cuddly monsters, wonderful creatures, and endearing critters. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Mr. Mayer spent his childhood hunting lizards and snakes in the swamps by his home. During his teenage years, he lived in Hawaii where he attended the Honolulu Academy of Arts. He later received additional training at the Art Students League in New York City. Upon completion of his studies he set out with pen and ink to write and illustrate adventures he experienced as a child.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1976
6 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Mercer Mayer
784 books777 followersMercer Mayer is an American children's author and illustrator. He has published over 300 books, using a wide range of illustrative styles. Mayer is best known for his Little Critter and Little Monster series of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
November 10, 2020
Meyer’s work has always tickled me. This book is about the Professor searching for the letter ‘Z’ beastie to round out his collection.
The Professor employs a variety of strategies to hunt for his Zipperump.
Some of his critters appear to be (un)helpfully accompanying him.
When I was younger, I loved busy picture books. The illustrations are colorful, with big-eyed, soft-edged monsters that you can’t help but be curious about. There’s lots of activity on the pages for discussion or distraction (notice the 'brush your teeth' message in the clouds?). These remind me of a cross between Maurice Sendak and Richard Scarry, right down to Lowly Worm, with the little monsters in the corner creating mischief and offering commentary. This one seems to have a motif of the little monsters wanting to go work at Island Joe’s.
It’s cute, and the ending is satisfying, although somewhat curious. For those that are working about the zoo aspect, the animals all seem quite happy. Even as a youth, cages troubled me, but there are a notable absence of bars here. So two monstrous appendages up. I might have to add this to my childrens’ books library.
The Professor employs a variety of strategies to hunt for his Zipperump.
Some of his critters appear to be (un)helpfully accompanying him.
When I was younger, I loved busy picture books. The illustrations are colorful, with big-eyed, soft-edged monsters that you can’t help but be curious about. There’s lots of activity on the pages for discussion or distraction (notice the 'brush your teeth' message in the clouds?). These remind me of a cross between Maurice Sendak and Richard Scarry, right down to Lowly Worm, with the little monsters in the corner creating mischief and offering commentary. This one seems to have a motif of the little monsters wanting to go work at Island Joe’s.
It’s cute, and the ending is satisfying, although somewhat curious. For those that are working about the zoo aspect, the animals all seem quite happy. Even as a youth, cages troubled me, but there are a notable absence of bars here. So two monstrous appendages up. I might have to add this to my childrens’ books library.
April 24, 2019
Oh sweet Glory!, why did I not know about this book before now? This is fantastic!!!!
This is some pure magic by Mercer Meyer here. His illustrations are glorious and why isn't this up for a Caldecott. There is so much in each detail of the story here. Tons to look at and its pure fun. It’s too bad mercer Meyer didn't write more in this series than he did. I know there are a few. At least we have this book. I want to own this and so do the kids. This was a favorite.
Professor Wormbog collected beasties and what wonderful beasties they are. He goes looking all over for this one beast he doesn't have and he never finds it.
The children went nuts over this book. It has monsters so the nephew loved this book, but the niece did too. It's funny and for beginning readers and really, it’s pure joy to read. The nephew wants to keep this book and he wouldn’t let go until we told him we would get him a copy of the book. The niece was delighted by the story. Everyone was laughing with the story. It was a rare occasion when everyone gave this story 5 stars. We read it twice. There is so much in each picture that you need time to catch all the little jokes in there.
This is wonderful!!!
This is some pure magic by Mercer Meyer here. His illustrations are glorious and why isn't this up for a Caldecott. There is so much in each detail of the story here. Tons to look at and its pure fun. It’s too bad mercer Meyer didn't write more in this series than he did. I know there are a few. At least we have this book. I want to own this and so do the kids. This was a favorite.
Professor Wormbog collected beasties and what wonderful beasties they are. He goes looking all over for this one beast he doesn't have and he never finds it.
The children went nuts over this book. It has monsters so the nephew loved this book, but the niece did too. It's funny and for beginning readers and really, it’s pure joy to read. The nephew wants to keep this book and he wouldn’t let go until we told him we would get him a copy of the book. The niece was delighted by the story. Everyone was laughing with the story. It was a rare occasion when everyone gave this story 5 stars. We read it twice. There is so much in each picture that you need time to catch all the little jokes in there.
This is wonderful!!!
November 3, 2015
Never had this Mercer Mayer as a kid but am glad to see it reissued. I didn't love it the way I loved some his other books but enjoyed seeing some old friends from One Monster After Another et al.
October 4, 2012
This is my favourite book from childhood by a country mile. Professor Wormbog has all the animals in his collection from A to Y but he still hasn't found the elusive Zipperump-A-Zoo.
With really detailed, extremely 70's and impressively psychedelic illustrations, Mercer Meyer takes us on a journey to locate the Zipperump-A-Zoo. We get to meet many of the other weird and wonderful animals on the way, including the Blowfat Glowfish, the Little Laff and the Gloomy Kerplopous. I mention these in particular because when my dad read this to me, the members of my family were represented by the above. (Picture of the Blowfat Glowfish, an enormous fish with a lamp on it's head - 'Oh look, there's you mother.')
In addition to the main text of the story, there are various little exchanges between the characters in the background, creating a really nice little sub-plot that makes re-reading even more interesting. Coupled with the illustrations, which have so much going on in them, that I must have studied them for hours, it makes for a great read to share and to look at alone. (I had this book before I could read, I think.)
I don't think this is still in print in this country, but if I could get hold of a copy (mine is falling apart), I would definitely read it to children in Yrs 1 & 2. It could be used as a starting point for descriptive writing, with children coming up with their own imaginary animals.
With really detailed, extremely 70's and impressively psychedelic illustrations, Mercer Meyer takes us on a journey to locate the Zipperump-A-Zoo. We get to meet many of the other weird and wonderful animals on the way, including the Blowfat Glowfish, the Little Laff and the Gloomy Kerplopous. I mention these in particular because when my dad read this to me, the members of my family were represented by the above. (Picture of the Blowfat Glowfish, an enormous fish with a lamp on it's head - 'Oh look, there's you mother.')
In addition to the main text of the story, there are various little exchanges between the characters in the background, creating a really nice little sub-plot that makes re-reading even more interesting. Coupled with the illustrations, which have so much going on in them, that I must have studied them for hours, it makes for a great read to share and to look at alone. (I had this book before I could read, I think.)
I don't think this is still in print in this country, but if I could get hold of a copy (mine is falling apart), I would definitely read it to children in Yrs 1 & 2. It could be used as a starting point for descriptive writing, with children coming up with their own imaginary animals.
April 22, 2018
One of my favorite picturebooks as a kid, and one that both of my kids have loved, too. Quirky and fabulous!
June 5, 2012
Why am I suddenly remembering all my favourite books from my childhood? I have no notion why. Must be on a nostalgia kick. This one was delightfully silly and detailed. I always felt Mercer Mayer's drawing was superior to Maurice Sendak's (shhhh! Don't tell, or I'm sure Sendak's ghost will come after me). He doesn't have the same depth of story, perhaps, but I am such a sucker for good brushwork that in some degree I don't care. Ooh! I should go rate his frog stories! Good thinking, Rachel!
I will just add that for sheer busy silliness, nobody beats Who Needs Donuts? NOBODY. And his draftsmanship is for crap, so clearly linework isn't everything.
I will just add that for sheer busy silliness, nobody beats Who Needs Donuts? NOBODY. And his draftsmanship is for crap, so clearly linework isn't everything.
April 2, 2019
If you have this book then you have a slice of pure magic, one that subtly teaches children the alphabet by assigning every letter to a monster in Professor Wormbog's collection - I mean, this was like the original Pokemon (sans hideous marketing!). So the good professor tramps off on an adventure through numerous diverse, and richly detailed, environments in search of the final prize for his alphabetised menagerie: the fabled Zimpperump-A-Zoo. His wild and eventful adventure features numerous unforgettable appearances from the existing 25 creatures from Prof. Worbog's collection, and even a few that aren't in it - which brings the good professor's scant taxonomical methodology into question. The rearing of these, fantastically rendered, scaly heads throughout the story also adds a "spot the monster" element to proceedings which only adds to the underlying genius of the perfect story and art combo. The nameless and unidentified beasties you find along the way serve to fuel the reader with wonder, and help conjure further adventures featuring these rare oddities that play out in the fertile mind, even when the book is back on the shelf. There's even a twist at the end that, although based on a bit of an old cliche, serves as a cracking finale to a glorious work that, for me at any rate, Mayer only equaled in One Monster After Another (although I didn't read all of his stuff to be 100% fair, I sort of tailed off when the "little critter" stuff started).
I read this when I was 7 years old and it has stuck with me ever since as one of the best examples of how great art and solid writing can make a book, children's or otherwise, soar. As I got older I couldn't wait to have kids and read this to them, and now I have two lads of my own they enjoy this book as much as I did, and still do. Same dogeared copy, same awesome book!
So to put an end to this let me sum it up: Full of great little monsters and characters, brilliantly illustrated and wonderfully written; Professor Wormbog in Search for the Zipperump-A-Zoo is a total winner that kids (young and old alike) will cherish. Can't praise it highly enough.
I read this when I was 7 years old and it has stuck with me ever since as one of the best examples of how great art and solid writing can make a book, children's or otherwise, soar. As I got older I couldn't wait to have kids and read this to them, and now I have two lads of my own they enjoy this book as much as I did, and still do. Same dogeared copy, same awesome book!
So to put an end to this let me sum it up: Full of great little monsters and characters, brilliantly illustrated and wonderfully written; Professor Wormbog in Search for the Zipperump-A-Zoo is a total winner that kids (young and old alike) will cherish. Can't praise it highly enough.
April 1, 2020
No Foolin’ this is a GREAT book. It was read live today on The Donnelly Public Library’s story time and it was great. I highly recommend it.
Happy April Fool’s Day
Happy April Fool’s Day
August 11, 2017
This book was so beloved by my husband and his siblings that my mother-in-law brought it out early with the grandkids. They love it. We couldn't steal her copy, so I scoured the internet to find one for us. I wondered if it would continue to be a favorite once it was under our roof. And it continues to be well-loved. We have read this book over and over.
This is one of those books where, despite knowing the storyline by heart, my children take forever to get through it. The illustrations are so rich, the beasties so fun, they focus intently on each page. And then they MUST go back and look at the chart of all the different beasties to find the names. This is Mercer Mayer at his finest.
Why isn't this in print? And why don't we all dress up as one of the beasties for Halloween? And why isn't the craggy peak beasty (or is it beastie) named? And will we ever know the name of the beasties for R and S? So many questions. So worth the read.
This is one of those books where, despite knowing the storyline by heart, my children take forever to get through it. The illustrations are so rich, the beasties so fun, they focus intently on each page. And then they MUST go back and look at the chart of all the different beasties to find the names. This is Mercer Mayer at his finest.
Why isn't this in print? And why don't we all dress up as one of the beasties for Halloween? And why isn't the craggy peak beasty (or is it beastie) named? And will we ever know the name of the beasties for R and S? So many questions. So worth the read.
August 2, 2014
Professor Wormbog collects beasties. He has every beastie from A to Y, but not the elusive Z monster, the Zipperump-A-Zoo. So he goes in search of it all over the world, from the beach to caves to forests. But he doesn't find it, so he goes home and falls asleep next to the fire, where of course the monster has been looking for promptly come out and start playing. This book has fantastic illustrations, though ones that are more geared towards adults than children. My favorite illustrations is the pirate octopus on page 17. I tried to read it to my 8 month old but his attention span wasn't long enough for all the details in the book. Recommended for ages 5+, 5 stars.
January 19, 2013
I'm a fan of Mercer Mayer in general, but this is one of his best. The pictures are loaded with lots of little details - like the signs posted in various environments on each page (my sons like me to read each one): Wash your hands and feet! Use soap! proclaims a sign trailing behind a passing airplane. The creatures are imaginative and have fun names. We especially like the last page where the zipperump-a-zoos come out while a defeated Professor Wormbog is sleeping. We count them to make sure we've found them all.
August 25, 2021
Professor Wormbog hunts for a Zipperump-A-Zoo.
The lovably inept Professor Wormbog is collecting fantastic creatures from A to Z and needs a Zipperump-A-Zoo to finish his collection. The problem is no one has ever seen one. Undaunted, Profressor Wormbog, along with his faithful pet, searches in a variety of places with a variety of baits but to avail. He finally resigns himself to the possibility that Zipperump-A-Zoos simply might not exist. However, the reader is in for a surprise once Professor Wormbog falls asleep.
The lovably inept Professor Wormbog is collecting fantastic creatures from A to Z and needs a Zipperump-A-Zoo to finish his collection. The problem is no one has ever seen one. Undaunted, Profressor Wormbog, along with his faithful pet, searches in a variety of places with a variety of baits but to avail. He finally resigns himself to the possibility that Zipperump-A-Zoos simply might not exist. However, the reader is in for a surprise once Professor Wormbog falls asleep.
March 28, 2012
I just read this book last night to my two-year-old son. Fantastic illustrations, wonderfully understated writing. My son giggled his way through the book. Who couldn't love Professor Wormbog? I must admit, even now, in my 40s, I can happily sit down with a pile of Mercer Mayer books and read them to myself. Of course, the experience is made more enjoyable if my son is sitting there chuckling with me.
March 6, 2013
This book is so much fun for children and adults. Mercer Mayer creates a really cute story with creative, captivating pictures and the perfect amount of words to keep a child's attention throughout. Professor Wormbog has a collection of beasties that range from A to Y and we follow him on his search for the needed Zipperump-a-Zoo. It's my opinion, this is a necessary one for a children's book collection.
May 11, 2014
This one is great! Pictures are amazing and leave you tons to look at (which is hard when you are the one reading the book because the little listeners don't want to let you sit and look at the pictures) but it's funny! Professor wormbog has a "beasties" collection but is missing a zipperump-a-zoo. this book has a bunch of the monsters from one monster after another, so that makes it fun and the end has a funny little twist involving nocturnal zipperumps!
January 27, 2010
This is maybe our favorite kids book!
I've probably had this read to me and read it to my kids over 500 times and I still have trouble getting through it without a small one saying, "read it, mommy!" impatient with me stopping to look at the pictures. Which are wonderful and so full of things to see you never tire of it.
I've probably had this read to me and read it to my kids over 500 times and I still have trouble getting through it without a small one saying, "read it, mommy!" impatient with me stopping to look at the pictures. Which are wonderful and so full of things to see you never tire of it.
July 24, 2008
I have been reading this book to my now 2 yr old son and he loves it. The funny thing is that I am reading the same copy that was read to me when I was a boy. Well illustrated the pictures are enough to entertain the young, yet there is such detail and extras to read that older kids will enjoy it too.
October 6, 2009
One of my absolute favorite books as a child. I was heartbroken when I tried to track down a copy for a friend's baby shower and I found out it's out of print. Used copies go for $40+ now. Wish I had held on to mine - not to sell but for sentimental value. In my opinion, this outshines Where the Wild Things Are by a long shot.
August 8, 2012
Professor Wormbog is a curator of Beasties. He has found all the Beasties of note from A-Y but is missing the elusive Zipperrump-a-Zoo. Join him on his quest as he searches high and low for the elusive critter.
My all time favorite book from childhood. I re-read it the other night and again it put a smile on my face. Highly recommneded for ages 3-8yrs.
My all time favorite book from childhood. I re-read it the other night and again it put a smile on my face. Highly recommneded for ages 3-8yrs.
September 16, 2012
I remember my older brother reading this book to me when I was a child. The illustrations were eye-catching, and they still are too this day. You could spend minutes looking at each page. And the journey of looking for a zipperump-a-zoo? I was just as excited in discovering it as I was when younger. I do recommend it to all kids... and adults.
March 16, 2016
Written and illustrated by the "Little Critter" author Mercer Mayer - but much better than those stories! A professor who collects unusual animals has every one in the alphabet except for the Zipperump-a-zoo. His adventures in trying to locate one for his collection are delightful.
Fantastic illustrations.
Fantastic illustrations.
October 1, 2008
I just bought a copy of this book as both Maegan and Luella have raved about it over the years. The day it came in the mail we read it to Reid and he keeps asking for us to read it over and over. He especially likes the page with the monsters in alphabetical order.
January 7, 2013
This was one of my favorite books when I was little. I've been looking for a copy of it to read to my children and was so happy that they finally published a re-printing of it. My girls love this book and enjoy finding something new to look at in the pictures each time we read it.
November 13, 2018
This is one of my all time favorite books. The illustrations do all the heavy lifting here. The illustrations are humorous and detailed. Kids can search through the pictures for hidden characters and details. I still like looking through the pictures today.
June 23, 2017
When I am feeling sick, and anxious, and have that horrible feeling where I can't stand anybody to look at me, I want to read Professor Wormbog in Search for the Zipperump-A-Zoo. I need it.
January 4, 2019
I liked the alphabetical listing of the various and named monsters that he has created.
June 13, 2024
I love how everything is mythical and made-up and ridiculous and unreal...except Kentucky and capitalism (Island Joe). Got a good chuckle out of that. Mercer Mayer always reminds me of Maurice Sendak. Their beloved monsters could easily be cousins, if not siblings. The message here is simple - sometimes what you love is right in front of you, and sometimes you need to be happy with what you have instead of risk it in a series of dangerous (and probably expensive) searches. I thought it was adorable that the captured creatures followed the Professor everywhere he went - even the tub!
That said, I would not opt to go to the one-way-trip to the bottomless pit, as advertised in the book!
That said, I would not opt to go to the one-way-trip to the bottomless pit, as advertised in the book!
October 24, 2020
I don't usually include books that I read to my children on Goodreads, but this book is truly exceptional. The artwork is fabulous. My sons begged me to read it so many times that I still remember the story very well, even after nearly 40 years.
November 10, 2020
My good friend mentioned that he'd read this book as a kid and I was lucky to find it at the local library. It was very reminiscent of Maurice Sendak, in a great way, although Mercer Mayer changed his style later.
February 8, 2025
Gotta love Mercer Mayer! Especially his odder books like this one, which isn't quite as good a story as One Monster After Another, but has a lot of the same characters. The illustrations are weird and fabulous as usual.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews