What's Your Favourite Book? (Charlie Cook's Favourite Book - Julia Donaldson)

Member Name: tb4ms

Product:	Charlie Cook's Favourite Book - Julia Donaldson
Date:	24/07/07 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An interesting children's book

Disadvantages: Not ideal for large group reading or pre-school children.

This is another one of Julia Donaldson's outstanding children's picture books, but perhaps less well known than the Gruffalo, which is a shame as it's a very good book which children between 4 - 7 can enjoy and even older!

~ Julia Donaldson ~

Julia Donaldson began her career writing songs for children's television. In 1993 one of her songs 'A squash and A Squeeze' was made in to a book.

Since then she has written over 40 books and is probably best known for 'The Gruffalo' which won three major British Book Awards.

Other books by her include:
* Monkey Puzzle
* The Gruffalo
* Fox's Socks
* Postman Bear
* The Gruffalo's Child
* Rabbit's Nap
* Hide and Seek Pig

- The Story -

In true Julia Donaldson style the story told in rhyme although it has to be said that some of the rhyme is not always as obvious as some in her other books.

The book is all about different character’s favourite book, beginning with Charlie Cook’s:
‘Once upon a time there was a boy called Charlie Cook
Who curled up in a cosy chair and read his favourite book….’

There is then a double-page spread of a ‘snippet’ of the book which was about a pirate ship and chief… The pirate then finds a treasure chest inside of which is a book…

Again a double-page spread of a little of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Baby Bear finds Goldilocks reading his favourite book…. ‘The Bearo Annual’

And so the book continues with each character introducing their favourite book which leads in to different examples including a joke book, a magazine and even an encyclopedia.

At the end of the book all of the characters join Charlie Cook in the room where he is sitting on a cosy chair reading his favourite book.

~ Educational Value ~

* Identifying rhyme.
* Encourages children's participation and develops memory skills.
* Introduces different genres / types of books to children.

~ Illustrations & Format ~

Axel Scheffler has worked alongside Julia Donaldson on a number of books and is a superb illustrator.

The drawings are often different sizes on each double page spread and it is so ‘busy’ with lots to look at and discuss.

The main part of the book / story is rhythmical but some of the pages also have non-rhyming sections, e.g. the advert for a governess in the ‘Posh Lady’s magazine’ and the information in the Encylopedia, giving facts about cakes.

~ Price ~
Paperbacks RRP £5.99 - on amazon from £1.71
Hardcovers RRP £10.99 - from just £1.08 on amazon
There is also an audio CD available on amazon from £1.99

~Other books by Julia Donaldson~

More than 40 books but here are just a handful!

The Gruffalo
The Gruffalo's Child
A squash and a squeeze
Monkey puzzle
The magic paintbrush
Night monkey, day monkey

~ My Verdict ~

Having read more children's books than I care to remember I can happily conclude that this is a very good one. Full of interest and intrigue for children along with lots of opportunity for active participation. It doesn’t however read well to larger groups of children due to the little speech bubbles and different sections of information which work better on a 1:1 basis.

Yet another very good book by the duo!

Summary: Another good book by Donaldson and Scheffler