Saturday, February 18, 2012

Review: Waddle Giggle Gargle!

9780140559910

Waddle Giggle Gargle!
Written and Illustrated by Pamela Allen

Publication date: 1996
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 978-0-14-055991-0

Summary/Back cover:
Here is Pamela Allen's delightful story about a boisterous magpie who is determined to protect her nest, and the ingenious way Grandpa, Grandma and Jonathan protect themselves from the swooping, waddling, giggling, gargling bird!

Review:
The appeal in picking this book off the shelf at our library was two-fold: a New Zealand author, and the title struck my funny bone!

The story itself is very simple, but the real appeal to this book is the magpie's repeated speech - "Waddle giggle gargle paddle poodle" - if you've not heard the song of an Australian magpie, you can hear it on this video clip (not my clip - I've just borrowed it from YouTube):



(There's also a note in the front of this book about the difference between a European magpie and an Australian magpie)

My 3 year old went to bed singing "Waddle giggle gargle paddle poodle" - and my 18 month old went to bed singing "Waddle waddle waddle waddle OODLE!" after I'd read them this book - that's got to be the sign of a good book, when the kids start reciting it back to you, doesn't it?!

My rating: 4 out of 5. We're hoping to find some magpies around the neighbourhood at some point, so my boys can see them in real life!

Review written by Bronwyn

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