Every Dog has his Day! (One Year With Kipper - Mick Inkpen)

Member Name: carcraig

Product:	One Year With Kipper - Mick Inkpen
Date:	23/10/08 (425 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Entertaining Read. Lovely Illustrations. Educational.

Disadvantages: Pricey if purchased new

Background

This is yet another book that our girls borrowed from our local library recently which has fast become a favourite, almost essential, bedtime read.


The Author

Mick Inkpen is a prolific author and illustrator of children's books.

Kipper the Dog is probably one of his most recognisable and popular creations. The television adaptation of the Kipper series has even won a BAFTA. Kipper recently celebrated his 18th birthday!


The Story

Kipper the Dog gets a new camera for his Christmas. As the months go by, a photograph is taken of an event each month so at the end of the year he can surprise his trusty sidekick, Tiger the dog, with a lovely reminder of how they spent the past year.

However, when December comes, it is Tiger who has a surprise for Kipper too.....!


The Book

As with all the Mick Inkpen books, the illustrations are charming and very appealing. Kipper the Dog is such a recognisable character that our three year old daughter spotted this book even though it was way up high and well out of her reach. ("Get Kipper down, Mummy, he's too high up for me!")

The text is black, bold and large, on a white background. Each double page has the text on one side with the main illustration on the opposite page with a small picture (the photograph that Kipper took) on the same side as the text.

With just fourteen double pages (28 pages in all) it is a great length for bedtime reading.


My Thoughts

The book starts the year in January and each of the first twelve double pages has the relevant month emphasised in larger, bolder typeface. This is obviously a handy introduction to teaching the months of the year.

Personally, this was particularly helpful during the summer as our two daughters constantly asked when they were going to start Nursery - the answer "August" did suffice, but then they wanted to know when that was! At least I could easily demonstrate the relativity of August to where we were in the calendar at that time.

The book has also helped to prompt discussions about the various seasons as icicles, thunderstorms, tree blossom and snow all feature, as well as which months we can look forward to for particular family events, birthdays, holidays etc.

There is a good variety of activity throughout the year - catching tadpoles, walking up hills in the wind, snowball fights, parascending (perhaps not recommended for pre-fives!) and making a Hallowe'en pumpkin.

For those first readers, the text is certainly large and very clear, although I would question some of the vocabulary.....Is "scruffled" a word?? And "glooping"?

My other (much more polite) half takes exception to the fact that Kipper says to Tiger "Take my picture!" - rather than "Please take my picture!"

However, we do like the fact that at the end of the year, Kipper lovingly handcrafts a Christmas present for his friend Tiger - even if the girls just find it highly amusing that Kipper ends up with a face full of snow!

The final page of the book shows a summary of the year with all the photographs that Kipper has taken - this inevitably leads to a nightly discussion as to which picture each of us likes the best.


Other Information

28 pages
Hardback (paperback version also available)
ISBN 0-340-91139-5
RRP £10.99
Published by Hodder Children's Books
www.madaboutbooks.com
Amazon has classified this under children's books ages 0-2 but I feel it is far more suitable for children aged 2-5.


Availability

Amazon.co.uk - £10.44 plus P&P (eligible for Super Saver Discount)
Amazon Marketplace - from £4.46 (used) and £5.63 (new) plus P&P
Ebay - various copies on auction at a variety of prices at time of writing
Paperback copies also available on Amazon at slightly cheaper prices
Or try your local library for FREE!!!


Summary

A familiar and loveable character in another fabulous book. Educationally beneficial. And more importantly, an enjoyable read for both child and parent. Although the story ends in December, this is by no means a Christmas read but is highly appropriate to be read all year round.

Recommended, if you can get it for a good price!


(A version of this review has been previously published on Ciao by me under the same username carcraig)

Summary: A familiar and loveable character in another fabulous book.