Zeki Eats Out

Zeki is excited because he’s going out for lunch in a restaurant with Daddy and Nana-G – and his toy, Mr Seahorse. When they get to the restaurant, their waiter Bruno brings them menus and they choose what they want. Delicious! At the end of the meal, Zeki says goodbye to Bruno and everyone goes home. What a super day!

In the latest in the delightful Zeki series of books for toddlers, Zeki experiences another life event for perhaps the first time – eating out. In this lovely series by McQuinn and Hearson, Zeki explores a number of everyday activities like going swimming, going to the park and gardening, all of which are new to little ones.

The language is straightforward and clear, but always captures the interest of the occasion. McQuinn also understands what interests little ones, which is frequently the small things – in Zeki Eats Out, for instance, going to the bathroom with Daddy and washing their hands, using the air dryer, is afforded the same level of interest as eating, seeing Nana-G, and choosing from the menu.

As with all the Zeki books, it’s a pleasure to see a modern black family depicted, and Hearson’s illustrations are warm, vivid and have an appealingly comfy feel.