Oh Say Can You Say?

Author: Dr. Seuss
Illustrator: Dr Suess
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren's Books
Genre: Beginner reader, tongue twisters, Junior, Picture book
Age: Primary school
Tone: Fun
Description: A collection of 25 tongue twisters by the legendary Dr Suess.
















Have you ever heard of the author named Seuss?
He is quite  popular like the dear Mother Goose.

No? Well...

He was a Doctor, not a Mister
wrote a clever tongue twister
that often would blister
the tongue of  the young  trying the tongue tying twister

Still nothing stirs? Perhaps this discription is simply too loose...
Maybe a picture will help you deduece?
Take a gander above at the walrus and noose
and see if that stirs up memories of  Zuess.

Still no? Look closely at the title "oh say can you say"
and tell me if then you're still saying nay.

Yes? Then you would have to agree,
his rhymes fill you with glee
and are perfect for children above the age three

and if you are older
and feeling much bolder

The Rhyming Rabbit

Author: Donaldson, Julia
Illustrator: Monks, Julia
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books 2011
Genre: Picture Book, Junior, Rabbits, Rhyme, Animals Tone: Fun
Age: middle to upper primary school age
Description: Rabbit with a gift for rthyme feels out of place amongst his fellow rabbits,so sets fourth in a quest for like-minded company. Encounters numourous other creatures in his travels and regales them with his clever verse, hoping that one of them will share his penchance for rhyme.





For anyone who has ever felt alone in a crowd (which I am sure is just about everyone at some point) and enjoys a clever rhyme,  then this is the picture book for you. As you can probably guess by some of my other posts, I am a bit of a Donaldson fan. Out of all her books, this one is my favourite one to read. Not so much for a public storytime read, but a quite, sit down and admire kind of read. Monk's illustrations are fantastic, but it is the language that makes this book a stand out. Or rather, Donaldson's gifted use of language. If you admire reading the works of someone that can make the english language sing, then this is the book for you.The language is also why it is probably not the best book for a public storytime.The agility of the language will lose a younger crowd. And it would probably won't appeal to the majority of older kids either for the same reasons. But thinking of this book as just a kids book would doing the book an injustice. Actually, thinking of the majority of Donaldson's books as only kids books would be doing them, and yourself, an injustice. If you are like me, and get a thrill when you witness the clever use of language, then indulge yourself, if only for a few minutes by reading Donaldson's book. Exquisite.

Llama Llama Mad at Mama

Author: Dewdney, Anna
Illustrator: Dewdney, Anna
Publisher: Viking 2007
Genre: Picture Books, Junior
Tone: All too real
Description: A grumpy llama toddler goes shopping with mum. If you have ever taken a grumpy toddler shopping or seen a grumpy toddler at the shops, I am sure you know what ensues.








Burgeoning authors are often advised to "write what you know" and I would hazard a guess this is exactly what Anna Dewdney has done. This book is also one of the few where the author's writing skill is matched by there art skill as  Dewdney has illustrated the book herself. This book is particularly great for pre-schoolers. The rhymes are short and choppy and the rythm simple which keeps the pace brisk which helps hold the attention of the younger audience.

The Dangerous Alphabet

Author: Gaiman, Neil
Illustrator: Grimly, Gris
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's, 2008
Genre: Picture Book, Junior
Age: 8 and up
Tone: Macabre
Description: Brother, sister and pet gazelle explore the sewer system of Victorian London and find many creepy things. Along the way, the audience get to learn the alphabet.

This book is really niche. It will give many children, and some adults, nightmares. The quality is great - anyone familar with Neil Gaiman's work will know he stands alone in his unique literary style, whilst Grimly's illustrations perfectly reinforce the  dark atmosphere of the book. Great as a collector's item - not so great as a storytime book, unless the storytime is themed and aimed at older children/teenagers. I liked it, but I would be signing a death sentence if I used it at one of the storytime sessions. So I guess it lives up to its name.

The Gruffalo

Author: Donaldson, Julia
Illustrator: Scheffer, Alex
Publisher: Macmillian 1999
Genre: Picture Book, Junior
Tone: Fable
Description: A mouse strolling through the woods fends off a variety of hungry predators by suggesting a terrifying creature called "The Gruffalo" is close behind and ready to snack on the hungry predators. The mouse snickers at its cleverness, as it firmly believes there is no such thing as a Gruffalo. Or is there.......?

If you haven't heard of or read this book, you are really missing out. There is a reason "The Gruffalo" has won so many awards and garnered so much acclaim since its original publishing. Julia Donaldson, also a playwright, is a master of the written word and the book showcases her gift as a writer. The way she uses language and rhyme to tell a surprisingly complex story riddled with subtle subtext is remarkable. In fact, adults would probably make a better readership for this book as it takes exposure to a lot of writing to appreciate how good her skills are. However, as fantastic as this book is, it is not always the best pick for a public storytime. Whilst not particularly long, it may still be a little beyond the attention span and comprehension of the younger audience members. This is offset somewhat by its fame which means many  of the younger  audience will already know the story and thus be able to follow along regardless.

The Terrible Plop



Author: Dubosarsky, Ursula

Illustrator: Joyner, Andrew

Publisher: Penguin Group (Australia) 2009

Genre: Picture Book, Fiction

Age: preschool to middle primary.
Tone : Fable
Description: A group of rabbits are surprised by the sound of a "Terrible Plop". Terrified, the rabbits run away. As they flee, more and more woodland animals join their flight. As word spreads, mass hysteria takes hold of the growing crowd. Eventually the stampeding animals are stopped by a bear, who, full of bravado, grabs a rabbit and orders the poor little creature to take him to "the Terrible Plop!"Oh no! What will happen to the poor little bunny? Hwaaa ha ha haaaaa (evil laugh). I guess you will have to read the book to find out!

This book was made for reading aloud, and is one of those rare finds that appeals to a wide range of age groups. Smaller children will love the comic expressions used on the caste of animal characters, and older children will be inwardly tickled by the story and the twist at the end. I must say when I first flipped through the pages, being the philistine I am, I wasn't terribly impressed by the style of artwork used. I loved the animal's characterization, but was put off by the mismatch of artistic mediums used throughout the pictures. However, the strength of the story and the expressions of the animals easily won me over. Although I don't think the rhymes and language are quite as clever as "The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson, this book is a better choice for public storytimes as it can be read to a larger range of age groups.