Too Purply! by Jean Reidy and Genevieve Leloup

Too Purply! by Jean Reidy and Genevieve Leloup
Buy Too Purply! by Jean Reidy and Genevieve Leloup at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
Summary: It might just be little more than a list of adjectives, but Too Purply! is actually great fun and has wonderful illustrations. It's aimed at the very youngest book fans, but they'll want to read it long after they otherwise might have grown out of it.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: February 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978-1408803158
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It's time for school, but the young girl and her tortoise don't want to wear any of their clothes. They're too purply, too tickly, too puckery, too prickly, and so on. You get the idea. Adjectives abound in this fun getting dressed book.

I really loved Too Purply! All the adjectives are wonderfully chosen - interesting enough to be different to bog-standard picture books, but still clear and obvious enough for the youngest of book fans to understand it completely. The rhyming helps it trip off the tongue, and gives it the necessary structure and substance. It could easily have been a boring and empty book as the text is sparse, but it's actually the exact opposite and works wonderfully.

Genevieve Leloup's illustrations go a long way to making the book click so well. Every page is similar to the front page: the young girl showing why her clothes aren't suitable. It's just like a parade of dolls in different outfits, with her appropriate and amusing expressions. From the necessary blinking when you get to the too stripy page, to the laughter at her in a chicken outfit in too feathery, every page brings something new to the mix and will be loved by young children.

Given its very simple story and text, Too Purply! is best-suited for the youngest of book fans, who are just starting to progress to books with very simple plots. Such is its charm, though, that they'll want to read it long after similar books become too babyish. Older siblings who are just learning to read for themselves might find it a great choice for reading to their little brother or sister. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

Mr Pusskins - Colours by Sam Lloyd is a slightly more simple book, but which has as much charm and scope for expansion as Too Purply! The Man Who Wore All His Clothes by Allan Ahlberg and Katharine McEwen is aimed at older readers, but if getting dressed is what interests you, it's a great read. Lulu's Clothes by Camilla Reid and Ailie Busby and Lulu's Shoes by Camilla Reid and Ailie Busby are also great getting dressed books.

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