Dave Monkies Around (Animal Boogie - Debbie Harter)

Member Name: DavyMichelle

Product:	Animal Boogie - Debbie Harter
Date:	13/07/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Colourful, Interactive, Fun

Disadvantages: Dodgy Singer

It's got to be said that I felt a bit self conscious doing this with the grandson, but I can see it's appeal to youngsters. The Animal Boogie is a book and accompanying CD that you get quite cheaply from a lot of book shops. The RRP is only £6.99, which I think is brilliant for a book that comes with a CD. Amazon currently have it for £5.24.

The book is basically an opportunity for kids to have a go at dancing like animals do. It gets them moving around and teaches them all about how animals move and behave while they're at it. They can use the pictures and the music to help them form all the animal like dance moves. It's great fun for them to get to jump around the living room stomping like elephants and slithering like snakes.

The music is very chirpy and lively, just what a little one wants to listen to in fact. I like that there's a good long intro here as it gives the little ones a warning that the song will start in a minute. If you just go straight into the song, I think it can panick them a bit that they're late to start. The only thing I'm not so keen on is the dodgy, patronising bloke singing. But then that's pretty standard with most kid's CDs. If the singers were that great, they wouldn't be doing voice overs and kid's nursery rhymes.

There are loads of bright pictures in this book, and you can look it with your youngster while the music's playing. So they can use the pictures to understand what animal they have to pretend to be every step of the way through the song. Adults can follow it easily and know when to turn each page because the lyrics are printed for them to follow, or join in with if they're feeling brave!

I bet this would be a brilliant book to use in classrooms or playgroups actually. It's bright and colourful, good for getting little ones to move to and very affordable as well. There's even a bit of sheet music on the back page for those who want to play an instrument instead of using the CD.

Summary: Highly Recommended