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

Review: Tip Tip Dig Dig

Tip Tip Dig Dig

Written and Illustrated by Emma Garcia

Publication date: 2007
Publisher: Koala Books
ISBN: 978-0-86461-742-2


Summary:
A parade of colorful construction vehicles doing their work means plenty of joyful noise! From the crane that lifts, lifts, lifts to the bulldozer that push-push-pushes, to the steamroller that rolls, rolls, rolls, every machine here makes it own special sound. Kids will love the irresistibly rhythmic text and the adorable, personality-filled vehicles with headlights that look like eyes. And the surprise ending, when the great big mess on page one becomes a wonderful playground, is sure to leave them delighted!


Review:
This is a great book for little boys - it has diggers, trucks, bulldozers... all those big construction site machines that boys love!  Its repetitive nature appeals greatly to my 2.5 year old, and he was able to read it with me within a matter of days.

The Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar author) style pictures are beautifully done, and made me want to have a go at making some of them myself! Although, I don't think I'll ever manage to make them as well as Emma Garcia has.

A definite must-have for any little boys that are keen on machines - this is one that we're going to have to buy, I think - there will be a limit to how long we're allowed to keep it out of the library, I'm sure!

My rating: 5 out of 5 - it really hit its target audience well!


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: We're Going on a Bear Hunt

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Written by Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

ISBN: 9781406316285

Summary/Back cover:
We're going on a bear hunt.
We're going to catch a big one.
What a beautiful day!
We're not scared.

A beautifully simple rhyming book with evocative illustrations. My nearly 3 year old loves it and I have used it in classroom situations with 8 year olds and they loved it as much. After reading it once or twice Monkey picked up on the rhythm and the repeated sounds. He has started incorporating the story in his imaginative play.

I use the illustrations as talking points and I like how you can go deeper into the story using them.

This is also available with a DVD of the story which takes the story to a whole new level!

My rating would be 4.5/5

Review written by LatteJunkie