Book Review: If you're happy and you know it.

[Ruthierhyme]

Book review for Preschools, Early Years and Adults !!!

If you're happy and you know it - Written by Jan Ormerod & illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner.



Bubbly, lively, fun book that encourages the reader to be as the title says !!

Opening page introduces us to one of the colourful characters ...

One day a little girl felt happy. So she sang,

If you're happy and you know it - clap your hands

Just as she's about to finish the well known first verse a dog joins in .. although in disagreement - he doesn't have hands to clap and uses his tail to show happiness ... If your happy and you know it wag your tail - The elephant's tail isn't his most significant body part so when he next joins the sing song he proudly uses his ears to flap & flop.

The crocodile, somewhat scathingly refutes the idea ears should be used and gladly shows everyone how to flash big white teeth and .. if you're happy and you know it Snip and Clip !!

Or Clack and click as suggested next by a toucan with his beak ... Pah .. says a gorilla, slightly disregarding the ideas so far .. Beat your chest !!

Hip & Hop bounces the Kangaroo - if you're happy and you know it, Boing Boing Boing to show it.

Along with a parrot and a giggling hyena the reader is invited into the world of each animal as they example their own individual way of doing things

The Little girl returns for the story's end .. as they all sing together 'When you're happy and you know it 'Do your own thing.

An excellent title for any diversity and equality planning. The book will easily extend into real life people situations ..




Play Ideas:

Lets be the Animals.
Mimic the movements and sounds of each animal as they make their way through the forest .. maybe singing if your happy and you know it !!

Face Masks
Using paper plates and corresponding coloured paint & collage pieces make your own masks to role play with.

Who Can ..
Indoors Physical play or outside field activity:

Skip and dance and clap their hands whilst singing are you happy?

Wag their bottoms in the air and be happy tailed dogs !?

Flip and flop great big ears with their hands and stomp their feet up and down ?

Snap their arms and hands together like huge white toothed crocodiles.

Hand beaks opening and closing like a happy Toucan's song ?

Beat their chests like the big gorilla.

Who can hop and jump all around .. who can be a happy kangaroo ?

Screech and shout and flap their arms up and down just like the noisy parrot's wings?

Giggle and laugh like a happy hyena ? Hold their tummy with their arms and roll around the floor ?

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Illustrator Lindsey Gardiner has a fantastic website - LindseyGardiner.com .. and the cutest dogs

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All links in association with our Amazon affiliate account


Traditional:
'If you're happy and you know it' Lyrics and Links !
Wikipedia background information.

If you're happy and you know it clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands.

If you're happy and you know it stamp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it stamp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it and you really weant to show it
If you're happy and you know it stamp your feet.

Repeat adding ..
Shout 'WE ARE'

Final verse - Do all three ...
More lyrics and midi tune on Land of nursery rhymes.co.uk

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Have fun