Ding Dong Gorilla by Michelle Robinson and Leonie Lord
| Ding Dong Gorilla by Michelle Robinson and Leonie Lord | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Margaret Young
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| Summary: This is one of those books you take one look at and just know will be on the classics list in 20 years. The pictures are lovely, the story hilarious, and this will especially appeal to any child who has ever said It wasn't me and every parent who has listened to a creative yarn. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: September 2013 |
| Publisher: Orchard Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1408312018 | |
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We never learn the name of the main character in Ding Dong Gorilla. This book is told in the first person, from the point of view of a very young child and addressed to his parent. This works quite well in this story, because most children will be able to identify very easily with the protagonist and most parents will identify with the unseen mother whom this story is directed to. The story begins with a sheepish looking wee boy reminding his mother how they had ordered a huge pizza. Unfortunately, he has a bit of bad news to break first.
It all began when the doorbell rang, and as any young boy waiting for pizza would, our hero raced to the door. It wasn't the pizza boy though, it was a gorilla, who walked right in without being asked. It wasn't the boy's fault. After all how could small boy stop a huge gorilla? The gorilla made himself right at home, dumping the toy box, colouring the walls, trying on clothes and in general wreaking havoc on an epic scale. Things only get worse when the boy sends him out into the garden. The gorilla certainly has made the house into a disaster - but he must have known Moms don't like messes so he disappeared just as the boy's mother came downstairs. All this may sound like bad news - but wait the really bad news is......
If you'd like to find out just what the worst news of all is - you'll have to buy the book, and if you have a child between 2 and 6, this is one of those books you absolutely must buy. This one of the best books for this age group we have ever come across - and we have read an incredible number of books. I really can not recommend this highly enough. At age 5 my youngest was laughing all the way through the book. Then he went back through the book and pointed out various reasons why he didn't quite buy our hero's story - but he thinks it was a grand try and the boy's mother should let him off with it anyway. After all, he should get some credit for such a great story. Was the gorilla real? Your children will have to decide for themselves, but whatever you decide, this is one of those books you will read time and time again, and the first monkey story I've ever read that could rival Curious George.
If this book appeals then you might also enjoy:
How to Find a Fruit Bat by Michelle Robinson and Lauren Tobia
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Ding Dong Gorilla by Michelle Robinson and Leonie Lord is in the Top Ten Picture Books of 2013.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Ding Dong Gorilla by Michelle Robinson and Leonie Lord at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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