I Love to Dance (Anna Walker, Scholastic, $10.99 hb, ISBN 9781741690798, March 2008) and I Love to Sing (Anna Walker, Scholastic, $10.99 hb, ISBN 9781741690804, March 2008) ****

Ollie the zebra and his friend Fred, who is a dog, love to kick up their heels and dance in all sorts of places and in many different ways; whether it’s skipping through the autumn leaves or wriggling after a bath, their dancing is always with total enjoyment. They also love to sing and are equally imaginative in the places and ways they sing; whether in the park or in the bath with a cup of tea, their singing is likewise full of fun. Ollie and Fred are very engaging and likeable characters and while their activities are joyfully energetic and even acrobatic, there are some quiet, more reflective moments to moderate the pace. The language is simple, repetitive and gentle, and the hand-drawn text is clear and very readable for the age level. The illustrations are sparse and simple, but full of expression and charm. Their simplicity is deceptive for they also encourage closer examination,
even sometimes to find other characters or hidden objects. These lively and appealing little books, full of childlike exuberance and energy, are just right for small hands. They are well designed and inviting and I hope the first two of a longer series.

Margaret Hamilton is a former children’s publisher and now provides freelance publishing services and reviews

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2007, Thorpe-Bowker