Friday 8 February 2013

ReaditDaddy's Book of the Week Part 1: Daddy and Charlotte's choice - Monkey Nut by Simon Rickerty (Simon and Schuster Children's Books)














We're doubling up on book of the week nominations again this week. Coming up is Charlotte and Mummy's choice but here's a book Charlotte and I couldn't get enough of this week.

Simon (Yoga Ogre, Unfortunately) Rickerty has a mischievous streak a mile long when it comes to putting together a busy and happy little story. When two spiders, red and blue, see something fall from the sky, they both want to play with it.

But what IS it? Is it a comfortable sofa? No. Is it a drum to bang and make a noise with? Alas, no. Is it to be fought over? Oh yes! As the two spiders bicker and disagree over what the mysterious object is, big black bully spider comes along and snatches it. OH NO!

We won't spoil things for you too much but Big Black Bully Spider doesn't get his own way for very long, as you'll see as the story takes a hilarious (and unexpected) turn. Red and Blue spider are such great little characters and Simon's eye for using double page spreads and page layouts in amusing ways to really drive along a story mean that this is a fast-paced and very funny romp.

Charlotte's best bit: Someone knows what the object is. Someone bigger than Big Black Bully Spider! SQUISH!

Daddy's favourite bit: I loved reading the word "mine" 50 times in a row. No really!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Simon and Schuster Children's Books)