What Will Danny Do Today? by Pippa Goodhart and Sam Usher
| What Will Danny Do Today? by Pippa Goodhart and Sam Usher | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Ruth Ng
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| Summary: This story is all about having a discussion with your toddler. A lovely way to encourage a good old chat over a book! | |
| Buy? yes | Borrow? yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: February 2016 |
| Publisher: Egmont | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1405275101 | |
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Every day we face a multitude of choices, from what to wear and what to eat to what to do when we get home in the evening. This book is all about making decisions, but in a very simple and fun way that encourages discussion with your toddler. The character we are deciding for is a little boy called Danny, and we follow him through the course of one day, thinking about what he will decide on each page.
This book reminded me a little of those old 'Choose your own adventure' stories, where you had a selection of choices at significant points through the book, and the answer you chose would send you to a certain page to continue the story you'd decided upon. In this book, however, we don't get to directly influence what we read but instead it generates discussion about all the various possibilities for Danny. The book, really, is less about the words and more about the pictures, since they are what prompt any chit chat you might have. Each double page spread has one or two questions, and the pictures cover both sides, so when we're asked what Danny might like for breakfast, we can see a whole kitchen full of food leaving us to question the merits of 'toucan pops' over what looks like a bowl of ice cream with flakes in, or a jar of spaghetti!
There are all sorts of issues to ponder, from what method Danny will use to get to school to what lessons will he have, or who his favourite teacher is. I read this book with my three year old son and he was initially incredulous that he was being asked to decide on Danny's actions. He spent the first half declaring 'Well I don't know!' before then looking at me like I'd lost my mind! When we got to the sports page, however, he suddenly seemed to get the idea of it, and then we had a good old look at the children running, or jumping, or playing tennis and football. As you can probably imagine, the illustrations have a lot of things to talk about! Lots of action, lots of colour, and lots and lots of different people. I particularly liked the playtime picture, which is full of children just having lots of fun, and one poor teacher trying to manage them all! I also rather liked the nice touch at the end where we get to choose a book for Danny's bedtime story, but then when we turn the page we see him reading his own book, the one that we've just read!
In a world where toddler choices are often very restricted, and parents are well versed in giving out only acceptable choices such as 'do you want your red coat or your black coat?' then this book provides a refreshing change for small children who are suddenly being asked their opinion, and what their decision would be on a whole range of topics. It's a brilliant starter book to get families who are perhaps not used to chatting outside of the text talking things through. It would be fun to read as a larger story time, if you can cope with all the shouting out about what everyone would choose for Danny! Lovely illustrations, and an interesting idea for a book.
Further reading suggestion: For more stories that promote discussion you can't go wrong with the brilliant Richard Scarry in Best Lowly Worm Book Ever! and Busiest People Ever. Slightly older children will enjoy Finding Fortune by Pippa Goodhart.
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You can read more book reviews or buy What Will Danny Do Today? by Pippa Goodhart and Sam Usher at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy What Will Danny Do Today? by Pippa Goodhart and Sam Usher at Amazon.com.
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