There was an old bloke who swallowed a bunny.
I don’t know why he swallowed that bunny …
Crikey, that’s funny!
Based on There Was an Old Bloke Who Swallowed a Bunny! and part of a series of similarly based stories, ‘There Was an Old Bloke …’ is a comically absurd romp through the countryside. He has an explanation for the consumption of all animals except for the bunny – that’s just funny. Illustrations are full page and full of detail. The refrain curves on the page, and each about-to-be-consumed animal word is in bold. All of the animals on the Old Bloke’s menu are farm animals except for the bunny, which would probably be most farmers’ first nibble.
The world needs some nonsense, some silliness, and this series of books modelled on an old folk rhyme is perfect in delivering it. And much learning can be slipped in underneath the silliness. The rhyme, rhythm and repetition in these titles are perfect for pre-reading skills. Children learning to read can predict what’s coming next and before long will be able to ‘read’ it themselves. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.
There Was an Old Bloke Who Swallowed a Bunny! P. Crumble ill Louis Shea Scholastic Australia 2013 ISBN: 9781742831602
review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author