Teacher Notes
Taronga presents: Poo at the Zoo
The ultimate animal adventure series! From Taronga’s two Zoos comes a wild junior fiction series, purrfect for animal lovers aged 7 and up! Join best friends Sophia and Ollie as they experience a day in their DREAM JOB and get up-close and personal with all your favourite zoo animals, big and small.
KEY CURRICULUM AREAS
Learning areas: English, Science (Prep to 3-4)
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability
Cross-curriculum priorities: Sustainability
THEMES
* Zoos, animals, the environment, sustainability and science.
* Friendship and family
Book bites EP1 (3–4 book list)
Taronga presents Poo at the Zoo
In this episode of Book bites, Kristin Darell reads the first chapter of ‘Poo at the Zoo’. This book features on the 3–4 book list, so if you enjoy it, make sure you track down the rest of the book, read it and then add it to your online reading record by Friday 18 September 2026!
Visit Listen @ The Arts Unit – NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge to access classroom-ready resources associated with this episode.
You can access the classroom-ready resource for this specific episode here.
‘Poo at the Zoo’: Text copyright © Kristin Darell, 2024. Illustration copyright © Laura Wood, 2024.
First published by Penguin Random House Australia. This excerpt is used by arrangement with Penguin Random House Australia.
Football Fever Series
Football Fever is an action-packed junior fiction series about six girls, six boys and a crazy dog who are all passionate about football. They play together for the Merridale Football club in a team called the Under 11s Merridale Fever. The series follows the team through a football season as they navigate friendships, exciting opportunities, tough choices and big changes in their lives. The series also features CommBank Matildas and Subway Socceroos stars.
KEY CURRICULUM AREAS
Learning areas: English, Health & Physical Education
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Ethical Understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities: Sustainability
THEMES
Friendship, facing and overcoming challenges, resilience, being different, kindness and acceptance of others
FREE DOWNLOADS
Click on the images to download – and enjoy!
BOOK THEMED COSTUME IDEAS
Kristin’s Author Talks & Workshops
Kristin is also a part of
