Spookyrumpus - Tony Mitton

If you are looking for a fun way to help a young child learn to count backwards, Tony Mitton's 'Spookyrumpus' could be just the answer. It opens with a cat and dog listening to a clock striking twelve midnight and then progresses to eleven witches concocting a spell, ending with just one huge birthday pumpkin pie. On the way we see ten ghosts, nine skeletons, eight owls, seven cats, six trolls, five spiders, four wizards, three suits of armour and two twins. It's not just about numbers, however. The language is highly descriptive: ghosts are funny and floaty whilst spiders are fat and hairy. At the birthday party the creatures 'leap and swirl, they howl and ...  Read the complete review

***Background*** Tony Mitton has had a lot of experience with children, as he is a qualified primary teacher. His books are full of delightful stories told in rhyme and this one impressed so much that it won a Sheffield Children's Book Award in 2005. Guy Parker-Rees is the genius behind the amazing illustrations in this book. He has collaborated on many of Tony Mitton's books, as well as sharing his talent with other authors too, such as Dick King-Smith and Julia Jarman. ***The Story*** The story starts with a dog and a cat walking through a wood in the dead of night. "Bong! Goes the bell in the rickety ...  Read the complete review