"Bananas in My Ears" by Michael Rosen & Illustrated by Quentin Blake (Review & GIVEAWAY)

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6248-6
Candlewick Press - Hardcover
$16.00
Ages 4 and up

Children are interesting creatures - interesting people - and not just small adults.  They have this insatiable sense of humor and get tickled over the most nonsensical stuff.  They absolutely love rhymes and "stories" in rhyme. (Oh why is there not more of this for them in their world - school, play, pleasure reading, etc.?)

"There's a man over there,

and he's sitting in the sand.

He buried himself at teatime.

Now he's looking for his hand.

There's a boy over there,

and he's sitting on the rocks,

eating apple crumble,

washing dirty socks.

There's a woman over there,

sitting in the sea.

I can see her

but she can't see me."

Children love silliness and riddles.  They love poems and nonsense stories.  So Bananas in My Ears: A Collection of Nonsense Stories, Poems, Riddles, and Rhymes is absolutely right up their alley.

There are four divisions to the book.  Each follows virtually the same format.  I believe some of my favorite parts of the book are the "Nat and Anna" stories.  These siblings are so down to earth, sweet, and downright silly.  But the stuff of what makes them so much fun is that they are so very much like your own kids - or you when you were a kid.

I personally believe if children when very young and continuing through the middle-years are exposed to fun rhyme, serious rhyme, sweet rhyme that they will when they are in their teens and adult life embrace the beauty of poetry instead of shying away from it.

But don't think "Bananas" is simply a book of cute rhymes.  It is not.  It is creatively illustrated with figures and messy scenes with facial expressions and "body language" that will capture your attention and tickle your funny bone.

A good read-aloud or I-can-read-it-myself book that children will embrace for the sheer fun of it.

~ ~ ~  ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Candlewick Press on behalf of the author for the purpose of a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own and I was under no obligation to render a positive review.

Author Michael Rosen is an eminent writer, broadcaster, poet, and performer who has received many prestigious awards. His books with Candlewick include MICHAEL ROSEN'S SAD BOOK, also illustrated by Quentin Blake; WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury; THIS IS OUR HOUSE and I'M NUMBER ONE, both illustrated by Bob Graham; RED TED AND THE LOST THINGS, illustrated by Joel Stewart; TINY LITTLE FLY, illustrated by Kevin Waldron; and THE TOTALLY WONDERFUL MISS PLUMBERRY, illustrated by Chinlun Lee. In 2007 he became the British Children’s Laureate. Michael Rosen lives in London.   

Illustrator Quentin Blake was the very first British Children’s Laureate. One of the world’s foremost illustrators, he has won numerous awards for his books and is best-known for his work with Roald Dahl. His books with Candlewick include MICHAEL ROSEN'S SAD BOOK, ON ANGEL WINGS by Michael Morpurgo, and THE RIGHTS OF THE READER by Daniel Pennac. Quentin Blake lives in London..