What would you buy? (I Went to the Zoopermarket - Nick Sharratt)

Member Name: tb4ms

Product:	I Went to the Zoopermarket - Nick Sharratt
Date:	29/05/09 (86 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lift - the - flap opportunities and some funny looking creatures !

Disadvantages: Some of the names may be 'lost' on under 4s !

This is a small hardcover book, ideal for the very young age group that it is aimed at.

- The content -

There are 10 double pages, each with a lift-the-flap opportunity.

Each page begins with: 'I went to the Zoopermarket and I bought.......'
Each left hand page contains a different purchase from the Zoopermarket and on the right hand page there's an illustration of the item with an unusual name and a strange looking creature under the flap.

* The ODDEST ONIONS - The item is named 'Prickled Onions' and underneath the flap there is a drawing of a hedgehog, the body section being filled with a photo of pickled onions.
* Some EXCITING ICE-CREAM - The item is called 'Roarsberry ripple'. When the flap is lifted there's a large striped raspberry ripple looking tiger with a huge looking 'roaring' mouth!
The theme of very strange, odd looking creatures continues with some weird, whacky names:
Ape-ricot yoghurt, Quackers (A duck made out of photos of crackers) etc

- Price -

My copy, ISBN: 0-439-01361-5 was £4.99 but is available from amazon for only 1p!

- Nick Sharratt -

Those of you who are used to children's picture books will no doubt recognise Nick Sharratt's name as being the illustrator of many picture books, working alongside a range of authors.
However he does sometimes go out there on his own, writing and illustrating his own books:
~ Caveman Dave
~ Dinosaur's Day Out
~ Monday Run-Day
~ Mr Pod and Mr Piccalilli
~ Mrs Pirate
~ Pirate Pete
~ Smart Aunties

Nick Sharratt studied graphic design and began drawing humorous illustrations for magazines and packaging for cake boxes and sweet packets before venturing in to the world of picture books.

- Overall -

It's a good fun book and children can join along with the repetitive text and enjoy the strange looking animals and names whilst enjoying lifting the flaps to see the weird and wonderful looking creatures underneath.

I've also used this with slightly older children (6-8 year olds) to demonstrate alliteration and they pick up on the clever changes to the words a lot better than the pre-school children.

(Review also posted on ciao.co.uk)

Summary: A good fun children's book.