10 Funny Sheep by Ed Allen ill Andrea Edmonds

Ten funny sheep singing a silly song

Ten funny sheep singing a silly song

And if one funny sheep should get the words all wrong,

There’ll be nine funny sheep singing a silly song.

Ten funny sheep singing a silly song

Ten funny sheep singing a silly song

And if one funny sheep should get the words all wrong,

There’ll be nine funny sheep singing a silly song.

10 Funny Sheep is a new version of the classic rhyme/song ’10 Green Bottles’. In this version instead of bottles toppling there are sheep in all manner of scrapes. One gets tangled in the clothes line, another falls off a carousel. One by one, the chorus shrinks until there is only a single funny sheep. Try as the last sheep might, she can’t fly her kite. Fortunately it all ends well with the ten funny sheep reunited for a nap. Illustrations are watercolour and mostly full spread. Extra details on each spread, like the different fences in the maze, other farm animals and numbers, will keep young readers exploring as the text is read/sung.

Many teachers and parents will be familiar with this diminishing-number rhyme and the rhythm is strong enough to encourage young readers to join in. Numbers are displayed as words as well as symbols which will help support recognition with pre-readers. Readers can count the number of sheep on each page, trace the number and identify the word. They can also count other farm-things on each page. Illustrations are gentle and humourous and sure to appeal to young children. Recommended for pre-schoolers and adults who need a frame for their singing!

 

10 Funny Sheep, Ed Allen ill Andread Edmonds Scholastic 2013 ISBN: 9781742836379

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

10 Silly Wombats by Ed Allen ill Andrea Edmonds

Ten silly wombats getting on a bu.

Ten silly wombats getting on a bus.

And if one silly wombat should make a big fuss,

There’d be nine silly wombats getting on a bus.

Ten silly wombats getting on a bu.

Ten silly wombats getting on a bus.

And if one silly wombat should make a big fuss,

There’d be nine silly wombats getting on a bus.

10 Silly Wombats is a counting book based on ’10 Green Bottles’. It is full of the same sing-song rhythm as the original. The wombats begin by boarding a bus – well almost all of them – and continue through fun-filled activities, losing one of their number at each turn. One in a car race, one at hide’n’seek, all activities unusual in wombats but recognisable to children. The final spread reassures readers that there is life after a Silly Wombat adventure with all wombats safely tucked up in bed for a final story before sleep. Illustrations are full page and provide many other mini-stories for readers. Numbers are spelled out in the text, but the number symbol is hidden in the illustrations.

This series of sturdy paperbacks for young children are sure to do well. They offer rhythm, rhyme, repetition, number recognition and counting practice all wrapped up in a bit of nonsense. And there’s the silliness. Life is serious enough. There’s room for some nonsense and humour. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.

10 Silly Wombats, Ed Allen ill Andrea Edmonds Scholastic Australia 2013 ISBN: 9781742836386

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com