Martin Neill/Ruth Kenward: The Zany Zoo (Book/CD)

Zack's Zoo is due to open, but he refuses to open the gates to the public until all the animals have passed their Standard Animal Tests. The animals, meanwhile, are behaving in far from 'standard' ways - and some of them are downright wacky! Joe Public and his friends are tired of waiting for the zoo to open, so they stage a protest. Zack decides to let the 'Publics' in to prove the animals aren't ready to be seen. Most of the animals fail their 'SATs' but Joe and his friends love their quirkiness and think this is the best zoo ever! Joe suggests renaming it 'The Zany Zoo' so that people will know what to expect. Once Zack sees his creatures in a new light, he stops trying to standardise them. He even apologises for not appreciating their individuality, and declares: 'The Zany Zoo is opening right now!' Witty and colourful, The Zany Zoo is the perfect end of year show as it offers such an array of unforgettable cameo parts for a large cast.