Review: Whoosh Around the Mulberry Bush

Whoosh around the Mulberry Bush

Written by Jan Ormerod

Illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner

Publication date: 2007
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 978-0-19-279173-3

Summary/Back cover:
This book takes its inspiration from the much-loved song ‘Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush’: the words can be sung to the same rhythm and there are animal noises and actions, too.  It’s a book that invites lots of high-energy enjoyment but it’s also a book that can be shared with young children to talk about habitats around the world, encouraging them to develop an awareness of the great diversity of wildlife that our planet supports.  The book begins with animals you might find in a garden or on a farm.  There are also animals from seashore, ocean, desert, rainforest, savannah, arctic and wetland habitats and the book finishes with a group of nocturnal animals in a night-time setting.


Review:
We first borrowed this book from the library and my daughter just loved it.  Even the very non-musical will manage to sing this book, if they choose to.  It covers a good number of animals and allows for discussion on unfamiliar habitats.  But, frankly, it’s the singing and dancing that accompanies it that my children love.

The images are simple and full of cheery colour.  The words are written in a manner that reflects the whooshing and swooshing.  My only other comment would be managing to sing the words with the correct rhythm the first few times.  But once you have it, the joy in singing and dancing with the children is wonderful.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Review written by Ms Oh Waily