Tag: Bridget Strevens-Mazro

Reviewed by Magdalena Ball

Most children are familiar with knock knock jokes. Mine will go on for hours coming up with their own variations, most not at all funny to adults, but leaving them screaming with delight as the jokes get raunchier and sillier by the minute. Even my two year old knows exactly what to say when you say knock knock. This new book by author/illustration team David Bedford and Bridget Strevens-Marzo is suitably visual, and builds on children’s delight in the knock knock joke. Even the youngest children will cotton on quickly to the repetition in the guessing game, and will join in the reading from page 1. Little mouse is cute and attentive to the door, and children will also enjoy following the visual sequence of his dressing, from naked towel wrapped, through boxer shorts, to full black tie tails.

Other educational sequences that children will probably notice before the adults include the build up of musical instruments on the stool and outer gear on the hanger by the door. The birds outside the window also change in each scene, and the monkey knocks the down the curios and flower on the little shelf. All of these images will be noted by children, who will also enjoy opening the sturdy flaps, and talking about the animals and the sounds each one makes. The finale will have all children involved making their own music “all together now.” The animals make great music sounds which are onomotopoetic enough to get the most reticent child involved, banging a drum, blowing a trumpet, or dinging on the triangle.

The bright colours and animal characters will provide visual appeal to children of all ages, and the combination of visual puzzles, and musical sounds make this a lovely interactive book great for reading one on one or in a group situation.

Knock Knock, by David Bedford and Bridget Strevens-Marzo
Little Hare
$14.95, ISBN 1877003808, Hardcover
31-May-2005, Pages 16

This book first appeared at Preschoolentertainment.com. It is used here with permission.