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)