Monday, 23 August 2010
Knick Knack Paddywhack
Knick Knack Paddywhack
Written and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Published by Puffin Books
It's a shame this book is relatively hard to get hold of now. A couple of years of frequent (and rather over-enthusiastic) use by Charlotte has pretty much killed our copy but if you spot this languishing in a bargain book bin (like Charlotte's grandad Dodo did) then grab it - it's absolutely fantastic.
Not just another pop-up book but a book absolutely alive with brilliant paper mechanics, each page covering a different number of the infamous "Knick Knack Paddywhack" rhyme. Each of the "old men" in the rhyme have their own bizarre and surreal way of conveying their numbers, and there's a distinctly doggy theme running through the whole book too. Zelinsky's illustrations are great but the paper mechanics (done by someone not even credited on the cover, boo hiss!) are utterly ingenious. As I mentioned though, be warned if your toddlers are a little over-exuberant pulling the tabs and operating the page controls as they do wear out fairly quickly.
Zelinsky has also done a similar book, "The Wheels on the bus" but it's even rarer than this one so keep a keen eye out for both.
Charlotte's Best Bit: The very last page in the book. No spoilers!
Daddy's favourite bit: The skating admiral.
Rating: 5 out of 5
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