Are you my Mummy? - a simple tale with a happy ending. (Little Bunny: Are You My Mummy?)

Member Name: poppyash

Product:	Little Bunny: Are You My Mummy?
Date:	19/07/09 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to hold and wipe clean with beautiful pictures.

Disadvantages: RRP £4.99

I came across this book last weekend when I took my grandchildren to the Welsh Mountain Zoo. Wanting to give them a little treat to remind them of their visit we went into the Trading Post to look at what was on offer. My granddaughter aged 2 ½ years liked a pink monkey with Velcro on its hands and feet so it could be attached to different things and my grandson aged 18mths took a fancy to a stuffed penguin. However while looking round a notice a selection of books called "Are you my Mummy?"

They were on sale at £1.99 the RRP is £4.99. The books are [published by Igloo Books Ltd. and are hard backed, touchy-feely board books which makes them easy to wipe clean and youngsters easy to hold. They are 20cm by 20cm in size so are easy to store and youngsters to handle. They are illustrated quite superbly by Kait Eaton. There are 4 books in the series and they all have a touch and feel element to them:-

Little Bunny
Little Polar Bear
Little Tiger Cub
Little Duck

I purchased two of the books for the children to look at.

Little Bunny - Are you my Mummy?

The cover of this book has a blue sky and green grass on which are a bunny with a white fluffy tummy and a tiger cub. The drawings are cute and realistic for youngsters to recognise what they are supposed to be.
On turning the page there is a double page spread depicting a duck in a pond and also the bunny rabbit with its white fluffy tummy. The script used is very simple and easy for children to follow. The bunny rabbit asks the duck if she is her mummy. The duck replies that she doesn't have paws like the rabbit. This invites children to learn about the different characteristics of the animals involved.

On the following page there is another double page spread involving a cat with kittens. Again the bunny rabbit with its white fluffy tummy asks if the cat is her mummy. The cat replies that her tail is long and fluffy not like the rabbits.

The next double spread involves a mouse who compares the ears and the page after that involves a cow who compares their coat coverings. After that the bunny rabbit is reunited with her mummy where the features of a rabbit are detailed. The white fluffy section which has been featured as the bunny's tummy throughout the book now becomes the mummy's tail on this page.

All the drawing are beautifully illustrated throughout with the use of bright colours but my favourite one in this book is that of the black and white cow with its pink nostrils and mouth.

The format of this book is very simple, as is the writing and the use of white furry material throughout gives the children something to touch.

My grandchildren loved the book. They sat quietly looking at the pictures while I read the text. The book gave the opportunity for inter-action, they each took it in turns to point to different features of the animals. It introduced them to different descriptive words and the different characteristics of different animals.

I feel that it is an ideal early years book for children starting to read or as a simple picture book for toddlers and I highly recommend it.

ISBN No. 9781845616779

NB there is a warning on the book that it is not suitable for children under 36 months therefore I would recommend that the book is not left lying around and only used when an adult is present.

Summary: A simple story with easy to follow text for early years learning.