Meltdown! by Jill Murphy

Meltdown! by Jill Murphy
Buy Meltdown! by Jill Murphy at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: The trauma of taking a toddler to the supermarket in a picture book. Highly recommended.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: September 2016
Publisher: Walker Books
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1406327915
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Before I say a word about this book, I want to offer a few words of reassurance. Firstly, we've all been there, cringing, trying to pretend that it's not your child. Secondly, it doesn't mean that you're a bad parent - or, if you are, so is everybody else. Finally there is nothing wrong with your child: they've just got a dose of the terrible twos (or threes) or the frightful fours. It will pass. Honestly. Right? Are you ready to read on now? Good. Just take it steadily.

One morning, Mum decided to take Ruby shopping. Ruby's at that stage where she repeats back to Mummy bits of what's been said to her:

Ruby can be helping Mummy, said Mum.
HELPING MUMMY! shouted Ruby.

She's also at the stage where she jumps up and down. A lot.

That's enough jumping, said Mum.
'Nuff jumping, agreed Ruby.

And off we go to the supermarket. Mum chooses things and gives them to Ruby to put in the trolley and to begin with all goes relatively well. Bags of crisps might need to be scrunched to make them crackle, but we're used to that aren't we? It saves on the chewing later. Then things are thrown at the trolley and tins are rolled along the floor. (Any parent who is suffering post-traumatic flashbacks at this point is welcome to take a short break.)

Mum decides, quite reasonably that it's time Ruby went into the trolley seat. There's the small matter of the disappearing trolley and Mummy speaking in CAPITAL LETTERS but we'll gloss over that and for a moment it looks as though all might still be well, until it came to the Incident of the Cake with the Piggy Face and I have to say that it was a mistake on Mum's part to allow Ruby to hold the box, but then we can all be wise after the event. I'm sure that we all know what happens next.

Oh, it's a lovely story and nearly half a century down the line I'm just about at the stage where I can remember similar incidents without getting palpitations. Perhaps even better than the story (if that's possible) are the illustrations, and particularly the facial expressions. They're brilliant and capture the moments perfectly. There's also the most perfect ending, if, indeed it is an ending, because you'll be pretty certain that you know exactly what's going to happen next.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Fancy another shopping trip? Llama Llama needs some new clothes.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Meltdown! by Jill Murphy 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 Meltdown! by Jill Murphy at Amazon.com.

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