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, 14:35, 14 May 2015
{{infobox
|title=Zoom!
|author=Trish Cooke and Alex Ayliffe
|reviewer=Ruth Ng
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=Depicts the insatiable energetic runarounds that almost all toddlers are prone to, with lovely, bright illustrations.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=32
|publisher=Harper Collins Children’s Books
|date=March, 2015
|isbn=9780006646211
|website=http://www.trishcooke.co.uk/
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0006646212</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0006646212</amazonus>
}}
Hurricane Kieron and Rush Around Ria certainly live up to their names! They are the sort of toddlers who are described as having ants in their pants, unable to sit still, always on the go, right up until bedtime when they crash under the duvet and sleep solidly for 12 hours!
Kieron and Ria’s running around comes complete with lots of noises and sound effects, to help you get a true idea of their activities. As well as zooming there is chomping of food and yow yow yow in the park - it’s all a grand cacophony of noise! They go everywhere at full tilt, and it is only when one day Kieron has a bump and is physically unable to run around that he has to find another way to make a hurricane whilst sitting still. You’ll be pleased to know that this new adventure is in painting, and of course once Ria notices Kieron is very quiet but happily busy, she wants to give it a try too!
I love the characters in this story. It’s great to see a multicultural picture book, and a little sad that it’s still unusual to find that in this day and age. Kieron and Ria are full of fun, and energy, and the pictures match their antics, showing all the movement and joy that they’re having every day. Personally, as the mother of an almost three year old, I really liked the picture where they’re zonked out in their beds! But all the pictures are bright and lively, and there’s lots to talk about, discussing what they’re getting up to.
The story is told in a fun way. I enjoyed making all the crazy noises that go along with each activity they engage in. I think some more refined parents might find it a little embarassing, but if you just let rip with all your ''whoooooooooiwheee'' sounds you’ll have a great time! I do like the story too, and how it shows busy children that you can take some time out and still have fun. I’m afraid I’m in the camp that urges kids to jump right back up after they’ve fallen over (unless their leg is broken, obviously!) and so Hurricane Keiron would have needed a lot more than just a little plaster for him to be moping around the house doing nothing here! Although thinking about it, if I was the parent of these troublesome twins, perhaps I’d be glad that one of them was sitting down quietly for five minutes!
These is fun to share with little ones, though perhaps a bit noisy for bedtimes!
You might also enjoy the antics in [[Whoosh Around the Mulberry Bush by Jan Ormerod and Lindsey Gardiner]] or for a quieter read try [[My Cat Just Sleeps by Joanne Partis]].
{{amazontext|amazon=0006646212}}
{{amazonUStext|amazon=0006646212}}
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[[Category:Trish Cooke]]
[[Category:Alex Ayliffe]]