If You're Happy and You Know It!, by P. Crumble & Chris Kennett

An Aussie addition

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

then you really should just show it …

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!

The first lines of this traditional rhyme are true to the original, but from there on, there’s a distinctly Australian flavour. Firstly, if you’re a possum, climb a tree. The openings that follow provide activities for a whole range of Australian animals to ‘do their thing’. The final opening has the gang of Aussie animals being koalas and going to sleep. Illustrations are full page and stylised and mildly anthropomorphised, eg the wombat has a mining helmet and the koala is wearing pajamas. At the end each ‘verse’ is offered in full.

Traditional rhymes have remained popular in part because they are easy to learn and they provide opportunities in classrooms to get up and move about. ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It!’ will have children up, singing and dancing as they try to be cockatoos, bandicoots and crocodiles. Along the way, they’re discovering a little about Aussie animals and how they live. Young children will soon become familiar with the language patterns on the page and with the aid of the illustrations will soon be ‘reading’ this story for themselves. Recommended for pre-school and early school years and for use in the classroom.

If You're Happy and You Know It!

If You’re Happy and You Know It! P.Crumble & Chris Kennett
Scholastic Australia 2011
ISBN: 9781741698916