This is one of the Serendipity books that I actually based upon the cover and thought I wouldn't like it but instead it has one of the best lessons of any of the Serendipity books ever!

The words are easy and simple to read for young readers while the pictures will catch the eye. And definitely a good one to read the little ones to show them that the world isn't meant for material trophies and awards but for slowing down to small the flowers while collecting the "trophies" of the world around us. ( )

I was first reintroduced to these books whilst digging through boxes of imported remainder books from the States. How delighted was I to stumble upon these books, which entranced me with their art and then brought with them a flood of nostalgia for my childhood. After discovering several different titles, I underwent a mission and visited every store of this particular chain in town and scrabbled to collect more. I collected a grand total of 9.

This one, Zippity Zoom, focuses on a type of critter that rush through life, always racing and trying to be the first. Our hero is named Whiz, and he is really, really fast. Until the day he trips over a turtle and shown that there is more to life than winning and rushing, and that by slowing down you can appreciate what you've got all that much more.

The language is, as always, quite delightfully lyrical and evocative and the illustrations charming to behold. Whiz is a sort of racoon-critter in running shoes and the colour reproduction seems slightly less saturated in these, later, reprinted editions (from 2003) whilst still being filled with brightness and details. ( )