"Each Peach Pear Plum. I spy Tom Thumb!" In this engaging, interactive book for the very young, familiar nursery-rhyme characters such as Mother Hubbard and Baby Bunting sneak their way into the gentle drawings. Even young children who might not know all the fairy-tale stars can find them lurking in the cupboard, on the stairs or deep in the woods. In the happy finale, the whole cast meets up for plum pie in the sun, where the little one on your lap will gleefully find everyone.

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

Winnie the Pooh: The Complete Collection of Stories and Poems was originally published in 1994, but this beautifully produced slip-cased edition has been specially created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the publication of the very first stories about Winnie the Pooh.

It consists of the classic, well-loved, tried-and-tested stories by AA Milne, from "Winnie the Pooh" (1926), "The House at Pooh Corner" (1928) and the poetry from "When We Were Very Young" (1924) and "Now We Are Six" (1927).

Here is Edward Bear coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. And then he feels that perhaps there isn't. Anyhow, here he is at the bottom, and ready to be introduced to you. Winnie-the-Pooh.

So begins the opening sentences of chapter one of this wonderful book "in which we are introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh... and the stories begin".

Although the stories are aimed at young children, older children (i.e.,adults!) of all ages will be able to recapture the wonderful Pooh stories of their childhood, remembering once again playing at Pooh sticks, reading about Hundred Acre Wood and finding out why Edward Bear is called Winnie-the-Pooh. Was he really named after a swan?

The poems are not as well-known as the Pooh stories, but nevertheless some of them are ones to which children can still relate today, even though they were written 75 years ago when, in some circles, nannies and nurseries were commonplace.

Half Way Down
Half way down the stairs
Is a stair
Where I sit
There isn't any
Other stair
Quite Like
It
I'm not at the bottom
I'm not at the top
So this is the stair
Where
I always
Stop

This exquisite book will make an excellent gift for young and old alike. --Susan Naylor

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Today I saw a little worm / Wriggling on his belly / Perhaps he'd like to come inside / And see what's on the telly.--Spike Milligan

This is a delightful, bright and gorgeously presented collection of poetry featuring the work of 10 popular and successful poets.

The selection has lots of different styles of poetry to enjoy and most poems are charming, funny or ridiculous. Some poems are familiar and probably already well-loved, but all are great fun and children will love the mad, surreal qualities of many verses featured. Each poet's section is accompanied by the work of different illustrators, making the book a wonderfully varied and colourful read.

Distinctive features of this collection are the interviews with each poet at the beginning of their sections which give the reader an interesting sense of their personalities and the roots of their poetry.

A wonderful high-quality selection sure to fire children's imaginations, this glossy book is amazing value. (Age 8-11) --Rachel Ediss In a future life, Kit Wright would like to be "a brilliant painter, an ace musician, or a really great fast bowler." Spike Milligan went to school in a tent way off in the Indian desert. When he first arrived in England it felt like "living under an inverted bowl of grey." Michael Rosen calls himself "the best thief in the world." What and who does he steal from? Stories and jokes from his own children. If Michael Rosen wasn't a human being, he'd like to be a cockroach.

In this colourful, musical approach to children's verse there are 10 sections, each devoted to a poet and an illustrator. Accompanying each section is a short interview with the poet. So, along with poems about squirdles, sneaking slice after slice of chocolate cake, and having an itch in your nose when your hands are covered with glue, you'll learn cool stuff about the poets too. --Martha Silano

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Funny poems for all ages, 11 Apr 2008
I was searching for a decent poetry book, since the one that I read as a child called Junket and Jumbles.

The Silly old Baboon poem was hilarious, and I am quite certain that the little boy for whom I bought this book will treasure it.

One small comment. If you are buying this book as new then all the poems are there, however with the second hand options go for the one that has the title 'The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry' and not the one titled just 'Utterly Brilliant Poetry' as the latter is just A5 size and missing some great poems.

A fantastic collection, 24 Sep 2007
This book makes a refreshing change from the 'usual' poetry anthology, with its focus on a small number of poets. The brief interview with each author at the start of their section puts the poems in a context, and gives a great insight into their background and inspirations, which I found fascinating. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loves this book for its selection of hilarious poems, and wonderful, bright illustrations, and adults will also take plenty from both the poetry and author interviews.

Puffin book of Utterly Brilliant poetry, 16 Jul 2006
Wow!

What a fantastic book, I am a parent of a young child (8) who has difficulties with reading and general literacy. He absolutely adored this book, some long poems for Mum to read but some that he could manage himself which was a huge confidence booster.

Spike Milligan's `The Squirdle' had him in fits of laughter as Mum kept getting it mixed up (on purpose of course) as did Benjamin Zephaniah's `Luv Song'.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and adults as it really has got something for everyone.

Believe me to see children who can't stop giggling whilst reading this book is a wonderful sight.


utterly brilliant introduction to poetry for kids, 25 Sep 2003
my mate bought this for my children two years ago, when they were four and two. it's become a mainstay of bed-time reading in our house. beautifully illustrated, laid out, and with an accessible choice of 'rhythms', it's a regular part of the night-time routine. i used to read the poems to my kids: now they read them to me. when my daughter wants to cheer me up, she reads me benjamin zepheniah's 'body talk'; when she wants to wind me up, she reads spike milligan's 'kids'; and when we all want a hug, i read them brain patten's 'squeezes'. utterly brilliant poetry highlights that poetry is fun. in fact, i'm online today to buy my mate's kids the book for themselves.

My children wanted to read the poems again and again, 22 Apr 2003
They really couldn't get enough of the poems. There is such a good range from Spike Milligan through to Kit Wright and on (or back) to Roger McGough. That isn't to say that the others are any less important, funny or entertaining. Even the illustrations are great. I would recommend this book to parents of children of ages from 2 to 22. Although really I bought it for myself.

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Funny poems for all ages, 11 Apr 2008
I was searching for a decent poetry book, since the one that I read as a child called Junket and Jumbles.

The Silly old Baboon poem was hilarious, and I am quite certain that the little boy for whom I bought this book will treasure it.

One small comment. If you are buying this book as new then all the poems are there, however with the second hand options go for the one that has the title 'The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry' and not the one titled just 'Utterly Brilliant Poetry' as the latter is just A5 size and missing some great poems.

A fantastic collection, 24 Sep 2007
This book makes a refreshing change from the 'usual' poetry anthology, with its focus on a small number of poets. The brief interview with each author at the start of their section puts the poems in a context, and gives a great insight into their background and inspirations, which I found fascinating. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loves this book for its selection of hilarious poems, and wonderful, bright illustrations, and adults will also take plenty from both the poetry and author interviews.

Puffin book of Utterly Brilliant poetry, 16 Jul 2006
Wow!

What a fantastic book, I am a parent of a young child (8) who has difficulties with reading and general literacy. He absolutely adored this book, some long poems for Mum to read but some that he could manage himself which was a huge confidence booster.

Spike Milligan's `The Squirdle' had him in fits of laughter as Mum kept getting it mixed up (on purpose of course) as did Benjamin Zephaniah's `Luv Song'.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and adults as it really has got something for everyone.

Believe me to see children who can't stop giggling whilst reading this book is a wonderful sight.


utterly brilliant introduction to poetry for kids, 25 Sep 2003
my mate bought this for my children two years ago, when they were four and two. it's become a mainstay of bed-time reading in our house. beautifully illustrated, laid out, and with an accessible choice of 'rhythms', it's a regular part of the night-time routine. i used to read the poems to my kids: now they read them to me. when my daughter wants to cheer me up, she reads me benjamin zepheniah's 'body talk'; when she wants to wind me up, she reads spike milligan's 'kids'; and when we all want a hug, i read them brain patten's 'squeezes'. utterly brilliant poetry highlights that poetry is fun. in fact, i'm online today to buy my mate's kids the book for themselves.

My children wanted to read the poems again and again, 22 Apr 2003
They really couldn't get enough of the poems. There is such a good range from Spike Milligan through to Kit Wright and on (or back) to Roger McGough. That isn't to say that the others are any less important, funny or entertaining. Even the illustrations are great. I would recommend this book to parents of children of ages from 2 to 22. Although really I bought it for myself.

Beautiful and witty, 30 May 2008
I got this book for my 5 month old daughter and I love it and so does she. The pictures are big and colourful, and she loves me reading the poems to her in a sing song way. I prefer it to books with one or two sentences! We also enjoy looking for the starfish doing silly things! The reason I have given the book 4 stars is because I would would have liked it more had it had stiffer pages that would be able to handle pulling and pushing and being chewed on. The price is also a bit steep. That said, I will still be buying the rest of the series, as its beautifully written and illustrated.

EXCELLENT, 30 Jul 2006
Giles Andreae and his partners have written several colorful, snappy, rhythmic tales that instruct children in an incredibly fun way! Commotion in the Ocean succeeds in portraying even the swordfish and the shark in a realistic, yet not overly scary way. The illustrations in the book are superior, something I personally enjoy when reading to my children.

Commotion in my House!!!!, 21 Oct 2005
I have a 2 year old who thought this book was so good we have read it at least twice a day for the past 3 weeks!!!! The poems are fantastic and the pictures are really stimulating for young ( and older!!)minds. We have spent hours pointing out which fish are which and then reading the poems, and he still isnt bored with it. His older brothers have also enjoyed reading this with him.( they have even taken to making up actions for the different creatures!)
I will now be buying the other books in the series to see if they are as good!!!Father Christmas had better stock up on book tokens!!!!!

Brilliant book for all children, 23 Jan 2004
My four month old loves this book. All the words are in Purple Ronnie style short rhymes and he loves listening to the sing-song in my voice when I read it. A lot more exciting for parents than the average teddy bears in the garden books.

Fun & accurate poems and great underwater sounds and music, 07 May 2003
By co-incidence I bought this for my son (three and three quarters) around the time we went to the sealife aquarium. It is great for car journeys where he can look at the bright pictures in the book while listening to the poems, good for night time reading and was popular when he took it to nursery.

One short poem per fish or mammal - crab, whale, shark, lobster, angel fish - you name it. One introductory poem and a final one to get the child to remembering the sea creatures they've heard about. Simple verse focuses on a particular characteristic of the creature. Sounds of the dolphins are great, and the underwater music bubbles tempting your toddler to giggle and dance.

Flip side of the tape is without music for readers following it in the book.

There's a rumble in the jungle
There's a whisper in the trees
The animals are waking up
And rustling the leaves.

From the outset this book is an open invitation for young children to enter the world of the jungle and experience this wonderful collection of animal poems. Written by Giles Andreae, one of Britain's bestselling modern poets and well known to many as Purple Ronnie, Rumble in the Jungle is cleverly illustrated by David Wojtowycz using vividly colourful and appealing sketches, making the whole book an amazing combination of works and colour and fun. (Age 4 and up) --Susan Naylor

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Funny poems for all ages, 11 Apr 2008
I was searching for a decent poetry book, since the one that I read as a child called Junket and Jumbles.

The Silly old Baboon poem was hilarious, and I am quite certain that the little boy for whom I bought this book will treasure it.

One small comment. If you are buying this book as new then all the poems are there, however with the second hand options go for the one that has the title 'The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry' and not the one titled just 'Utterly Brilliant Poetry' as the latter is just A5 size and missing some great poems.

A fantastic collection, 24 Sep 2007
This book makes a refreshing change from the 'usual' poetry anthology, with its focus on a small number of poets. The brief interview with each author at the start of their section puts the poems in a context, and gives a great insight into their background and inspirations, which I found fascinating. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loves this book for its selection of hilarious poems, and wonderful, bright illustrations, and adults will also take plenty from both the poetry and author interviews.

Puffin book of Utterly Brilliant poetry, 16 Jul 2006
Wow!

What a fantastic book, I am a parent of a young child (8) who has difficulties with reading and general literacy. He absolutely adored this book, some long poems for Mum to read but some that he could manage himself which was a huge confidence booster.

Spike Milligan's `The Squirdle' had him in fits of laughter as Mum kept getting it mixed up (on purpose of course) as did Benjamin Zephaniah's `Luv Song'.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and adults as it really has got something for everyone.

Believe me to see children who can't stop giggling whilst reading this book is a wonderful sight.


utterly brilliant introduction to poetry for kids, 25 Sep 2003
my mate bought this for my children two years ago, when they were four and two. it's become a mainstay of bed-time reading in our house. beautifully illustrated, laid out, and with an accessible choice of 'rhythms', it's a regular part of the night-time routine. i used to read the poems to my kids: now they read them to me. when my daughter wants to cheer me up, she reads me benjamin zepheniah's 'body talk'; when she wants to wind me up, she reads spike milligan's 'kids'; and when we all want a hug, i read them brain patten's 'squeezes'. utterly brilliant poetry highlights that poetry is fun. in fact, i'm online today to buy my mate's kids the book for themselves.

My children wanted to read the poems again and again, 22 Apr 2003
They really couldn't get enough of the poems. There is such a good range from Spike Milligan through to Kit Wright and on (or back) to Roger McGough. That isn't to say that the others are any less important, funny or entertaining. Even the illustrations are great. I would recommend this book to parents of children of ages from 2 to 22. Although really I bought it for myself.

Beautiful and witty, 30 May 2008
I got this book for my 5 month old daughter and I love it and so does she. The pictures are big and colourful, and she loves me reading the poems to her in a sing song way. I prefer it to books with one or two sentences! We also enjoy looking for the starfish doing silly things! The reason I have given the book 4 stars is because I would would have liked it more had it had stiffer pages that would be able to handle pulling and pushing and being chewed on. The price is also a bit steep. That said, I will still be buying the rest of the series, as its beautifully written and illustrated.

EXCELLENT, 30 Jul 2006
Giles Andreae and his partners have written several colorful, snappy, rhythmic tales that instruct children in an incredibly fun way! Commotion in the Ocean succeeds in portraying even the swordfish and the shark in a realistic, yet not overly scary way. The illustrations in the book are superior, something I personally enjoy when reading to my children.

Commotion in my House!!!!, 21 Oct 2005
I have a 2 year old who thought this book was so good we have read it at least twice a day for the past 3 weeks!!!! The poems are fantastic and the pictures are really stimulating for young ( and older!!)minds. We have spent hours pointing out which fish are which and then reading the poems, and he still isnt bored with it. His older brothers have also enjoyed reading this with him.( they have even taken to making up actions for the different creatures!)
I will now be buying the other books in the series to see if they are as good!!!Father Christmas had better stock up on book tokens!!!!!

Brilliant book for all children, 23 Jan 2004
My four month old loves this book. All the words are in Purple Ronnie style short rhymes and he loves listening to the sing-song in my voice when I read it. A lot more exciting for parents than the average teddy bears in the garden books.

Fun & accurate poems and great underwater sounds and music, 07 May 2003
By co-incidence I bought this for my son (three and three quarters) around the time we went to the sealife aquarium. It is great for car journeys where he can look at the bright pictures in the book while listening to the poems, good for night time reading and was popular when he took it to nursery.

One short poem per fish or mammal - crab, whale, shark, lobster, angel fish - you name it. One introductory poem and a final one to get the child to remembering the sea creatures they've heard about. Simple verse focuses on a particular characteristic of the creature. Sounds of the dolphins are great, and the underwater music bubbles tempting your toddler to giggle and dance.

Flip side of the tape is without music for readers following it in the book.

Fun but things I don't like, 21 Mar 2008
There are lots of positive reviews for this book and I know why. I like the illustrations as they are colourful and fun. The verse has an energy and snappiness about it that keeps things moving and the usual humour from Giles Andreae.

One thing I don't like is that most of the animals mentioned couldn't live in one jungle. Lions, tigers and panthers are likely to be in Africa, Asia and South America respectively. Some of the rhymes are very lazy like the one about the elephant that doesn't say much other than it likes elephing around. If you can't think what to say... make up a word! This would be great if that was a common technique within the book (like doctor seuss uses). But this is the only incident and I think it's weak. There are poor examples of grammar too.

However, I do like the book and my kids love it which is the final clincher I guess.

I wanted to add a bit of detail rather than it all being glowing 5 star reviews. I hope you enjoy the book! I'd give it 3.5 but not 4 stars.

Again, again!!!, 12 Nov 2007
Earlier this evening I finished reading Rumble in the Jungle to my 19 month old son for the 3rd night in a row. He has more than 40 picture books in his bedtime books selection but for the last month or 2 he has been almost exclusively fixated with this one (only Room on the Broom or the Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson get a look in now and again). Yes it could be a bit boring reading the same book every night but when when he roars with the lion and thumps his chest with the gorilla it's worth it every time! Great pictures, great rhymes, great fun.

'We can't cuddle ants!!!', 02 Oct 2005
This book is fantastic! We have to read this to our 2 year old daughter every bed time. She loves it and can't wait to get to the Gorilla wear every night she tells him that he can't cuddle the ants that are on every page as he will squash them!!

The book is full of colour, great pictures and brilliant poems that are so easy to read! If you only ever buy one book from Giles Andreae make sure it this one.

Brilliant Educational Resource!!, 02 Jan 2003
This book is amazing. It has so many cross-curricular benefits, across Primary and Seconday Teaching. I am a music teacher and found that children of all ages really enjoyed making music to this story. It also incorporates English, and possibly Drama if you wanted it to. It is a great educational resource. Evey teacher should have it!! I think the Government should issue one to every teacher! :-)

A rumble in the jungle, 05 Jul 2002
A brilliantly illustrated book of verse that is a must for all carers of under 5's. The verses themselves are a joy to read aloud. The tape that comes with the book brings life to the jungle and its animals. Hugh Lawrie's wit shines through the narrative. The flipside enables the child to follow the tape while reading the book and has a marvellous selection of music that represents the different jungle animals. Every home should have a copy.

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Funny poems for all ages, 11 Apr 2008
I was searching for a decent poetry book, since the one that I read as a child called Junket and Jumbles.

The Silly old Baboon poem was hilarious, and I am quite certain that the little boy for whom I bought this book will treasure it.

One small comment. If you are buying this book as new then all the poems are there, however with the second hand options go for the one that has the title 'The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry' and not the one titled just 'Utterly Brilliant Poetry' as the latter is just A5 size and missing some great poems.

A fantastic collection, 24 Sep 2007
This book makes a refreshing change from the 'usual' poetry anthology, with its focus on a small number of poets. The brief interview with each author at the start of their section puts the poems in a context, and gives a great insight into their background and inspirations, which I found fascinating. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loves this book for its selection of hilarious poems, and wonderful, bright illustrations, and adults will also take plenty from both the poetry and author interviews.

Puffin book of Utterly Brilliant poetry, 16 Jul 2006
Wow!

What a fantastic book, I am a parent of a young child (8) who has difficulties with reading and general literacy. He absolutely adored this book, some long poems for Mum to read but some that he could manage himself which was a huge confidence booster.

Spike Milligan's `The Squirdle' had him in fits of laughter as Mum kept getting it mixed up (on purpose of course) as did Benjamin Zephaniah's `Luv Song'.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and adults as it really has got something for everyone.

Believe me to see children who can't stop giggling whilst reading this book is a wonderful sight.


utterly brilliant introduction to poetry for kids, 25 Sep 2003
my mate bought this for my children two years ago, when they were four and two. it's become a mainstay of bed-time reading in our house. beautifully illustrated, laid out, and with an accessible choice of 'rhythms', it's a regular part of the night-time routine. i used to read the poems to my kids: now they read them to me. when my daughter wants to cheer me up, she reads me benjamin zepheniah's 'body talk'; when she wants to wind me up, she reads spike milligan's 'kids'; and when we all want a hug, i read them brain patten's 'squeezes'. utterly brilliant poetry highlights that poetry is fun. in fact, i'm online today to buy my mate's kids the book for themselves.

My children wanted to read the poems again and again, 22 Apr 2003
They really couldn't get enough of the poems. There is such a good range from Spike Milligan through to Kit Wright and on (or back) to Roger McGough. That isn't to say that the others are any less important, funny or entertaining. Even the illustrations are great. I would recommend this book to parents of children of ages from 2 to 22. Although really I bought it for myself.

Beautiful and witty, 30 May 2008
I got this book for my 5 month old daughter and I love it and so does she. The pictures are big and colourful, and she loves me reading the poems to her in a sing song way. I prefer it to books with one or two sentences! We also enjoy looking for the starfish doing silly things! The reason I have given the book 4 stars is because I would would have liked it more had it had stiffer pages that would be able to handle pulling and pushing and being chewed on. The price is also a bit steep. That said, I will still be buying the rest of the series, as its beautifully written and illustrated.

EXCELLENT, 30 Jul 2006
Giles Andreae and his partners have written several colorful, snappy, rhythmic tales that instruct children in an incredibly fun way! Commotion in the Ocean succeeds in portraying even the swordfish and the shark in a realistic, yet not overly scary way. The illustrations in the book are superior, something I personally enjoy when reading to my children.

Commotion in my House!!!!, 21 Oct 2005
I have a 2 year old who thought this book was so good we have read it at least twice a day for the past 3 weeks!!!! The poems are fantastic and the pictures are really stimulating for young ( and older!!)minds. We have spent hours pointing out which fish are which and then reading the poems, and he still isnt bored with it. His older brothers have also enjoyed reading this with him.( they have even taken to making up actions for the different creatures!)
I will now be buying the other books in the series to see if they are as good!!!Father Christmas had better stock up on book tokens!!!!!

Brilliant book for all children, 23 Jan 2004
My four month old loves this book. All the words are in Purple Ronnie style short rhymes and he loves listening to the sing-song in my voice when I read it. A lot more exciting for parents than the average teddy bears in the garden books.

Fun & accurate poems and great underwater sounds and music, 07 May 2003
By co-incidence I bought this for my son (three and three quarters) around the time we went to the sealife aquarium. It is great for car journeys where he can look at the bright pictures in the book while listening to the poems, good for night time reading and was popular when he took it to nursery.

One short poem per fish or mammal - crab, whale, shark, lobster, angel fish - you name it. One introductory poem and a final one to get the child to remembering the sea creatures they've heard about. Simple verse focuses on a particular characteristic of the creature. Sounds of the dolphins are great, and the underwater music bubbles tempting your toddler to giggle and dance.

Flip side of the tape is without music for readers following it in the book.

Fun but things I don't like, 21 Mar 2008
There are lots of positive reviews for this book and I know why. I like the illustrations as they are colourful and fun. The verse has an energy and snappiness about it that keeps things moving and the usual humour from Giles Andreae.

One thing I don't like is that most of the animals mentioned couldn't live in one jungle. Lions, tigers and panthers are likely to be in Africa, Asia and South America respectively. Some of the rhymes are very lazy like the one about the elephant that doesn't say much other than it likes elephing around. If you can't think what to say... make up a word! This would be great if that was a common technique within the book (like doctor seuss uses). But this is the only incident and I think it's weak. There are poor examples of grammar too.

However, I do like the book and my kids love it which is the final clincher I guess.

I wanted to add a bit of detail rather than it all being glowing 5 star reviews. I hope you enjoy the book! I'd give it 3.5 but not 4 stars.

Again, again!!!, 12 Nov 2007
Earlier this evening I finished reading Rumble in the Jungle to my 19 month old son for the 3rd night in a row. He has more than 40 picture books in his bedtime books selection but for the last month or 2 he has been almost exclusively fixated with this one (only Room on the Broom or the Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson get a look in now and again). Yes it could be a bit boring reading the same book every night but when when he roars with the lion and thumps his chest with the gorilla it's worth it every time! Great pictures, great rhymes, great fun.

'We can't cuddle ants!!!', 02 Oct 2005
This book is fantastic! We have to read this to our 2 year old daughter every bed time. She loves it and can't wait to get to the Gorilla wear every night she tells him that he can't cuddle the ants that are on every page as he will squash them!!

The book is full of colour, great pictures and brilliant poems that are so easy to read! If you only ever buy one book from Giles Andreae make sure it this one.

Brilliant Educational Resource!!, 02 Jan 2003
This book is amazing. It has so many cross-curricular benefits, across Primary and Seconday Teaching. I am a music teacher and found that children of all ages really enjoyed making music to this story. It also incorporates English, and possibly Drama if you wanted it to. It is a great educational resource. Evey teacher should have it!! I think the Government should issue one to every teacher! :-)

A rumble in the jungle, 05 Jul 2002
A brilliantly illustrated book of verse that is a must for all carers of under 5's. The verses themselves are a joy to read aloud. The tape that comes with the book brings life to the jungle and its animals. Hugh Lawrie's wit shines through the narrative. The flipside enables the child to follow the tape while reading the book and has a marvellous selection of music that represents the different jungle animals. Every home should have a copy.

Love is actually all around, 28 Feb 2004
This book is about a lion named Leo who didn't fit in with his pride, because he just wanted to look for love and make friends with other animals in the jungle. After he was forced to leave the pride of lions, Leo did his best to help every kind of animal in the jungle, but never asked for a thing. Eventually, he became the king of animals in a different way.
The lovely colorful cover of this book will catch your eye in the bookshop. The illustrations are animated and charming as if you were in tropical Africa. From the illustrations page by page, Leo's enthusiasm and kindness are obviously an important part of the whole story. And the most brilliant drawing is the one in which Leo's friends arrive at the bank and link themselves up tail to paw to rescue him. How smart this is!
However, in this book the thing which really moves me is the moral of the story. By means of the plot, Leo's unique way of thinking and his brave deeds deserve much praise. Although he didn't identify with his pride at first, he still knew what he really wanted. Most of the time we are taught that we are supposed to do something in a particular way. If you can't get your own convictions accepted, you will follow common concepts to live your life. Nevertheless, the ending of this book offers us a distinct way of thinking, showing us we can be what we want to be, and understand the most valuable gift in the world is love. As long as we can open our minds to accept the world, we will find much love, and we can make any dreams come true, even if they are achieved in a more difficult way.
This excellent book is worth reading as a bed-time story.

And the moral of the story is...., 19 Jul 2002
My 7 year old son introduced me to this story.
He produced it at bed time for me to read to my 4 children - 9, 7, and twins 5.
The poem was so fluid and easy to read. The moral story of Love and courage, shareing and careing was so beautifully told that i was quite moved by the end.
A delightful book to be read again and again by all ages!

A book adults will enjoy reading to children, 16 Aug 2001
I love this book as much as my three year old son. The illustrations are beautiful and so colourful and the words and story are lovely.It also conveys a good message/philosophy. We were bought this as a gift and we now give it where we can.

an excellent shared reading book, 19 Feb 2001
want to teach your children the value of whats under peoples skin then read them this book - it challenges stereotypes and leads to valuable discussions about the value of being different - fantastic

Delightful and wonderfully illustrated story, 29 Jul 1999
Another firm favourite of my 30 month old toddler's. Such a delightful rhyming story which is very easy to read and the illustrations are gorgeous. As my son loved it so much, I'm trying "Commotion in the Ocean" by the same author, which I'm sure will be just as good as this one!

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear? is a classic picture book that will delight young children. It has a simple repetitive text that makes it easy for young readers to join in. Eric Carle beautifully illustrates this book, with bold and colourful pictures of animals.

The book follows a similar format to Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? The reader is introduced to a new animal on each double-page spread. This is an excellent book for developing children's prediction skills as they will really enjoy predicting which animal will be heard next. This book would also be good for introducing the use of question marks, as each double page includes a question and an answer. Interesting vocabulary is used to describe the noises made by the animals which will challenge a young reader eg: "braying, trumpeting, snarling" etc.

This book is an absolute must for children aged 3-5, but will be enjoyed by children aged 0-7. If your child enjoyed Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see? they are sure to enjoy this book just as much. --Amanda York

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Funny poems for all ages, 11 Apr 2008
I was searching for a decent poetry book, since the one that I read as a child called Junket and Jumbles.

The Silly old Baboon poem was hilarious, and I am quite certain that the little boy for whom I bought this book will treasure it.

One small comment. If you are buying this book as new then all the poems are there, however with the second hand options go for the one that has the title 'The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry' and not the one titled just 'Utterly Brilliant Poetry' as the latter is just A5 size and missing some great poems.

A fantastic collection, 24 Sep 2007
This book makes a refreshing change from the 'usual' poetry anthology, with its focus on a small number of poets. The brief interview with each author at the start of their section puts the poems in a context, and gives a great insight into their background and inspirations, which I found fascinating. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loves this book for its selection of hilarious poems, and wonderful, bright illustrations, and adults will also take plenty from both the poetry and author interviews.

Puffin book of Utterly Brilliant poetry, 16 Jul 2006
Wow!

What a fantastic book, I am a parent of a young child (8) who has difficulties with reading and general literacy. He absolutely adored this book, some long poems for Mum to read but some that he could manage himself which was a huge confidence booster.

Spike Milligan's `The Squirdle' had him in fits of laughter as Mum kept getting it mixed up (on purpose of course) as did Benjamin Zephaniah's `Luv Song'.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and adults as it really has got something for everyone.

Believe me to see children who can't stop giggling whilst reading this book is a wonderful sight.


utterly brilliant introduction to poetry for kids, 25 Sep 2003
my mate bought this for my children two years ago, when they were four and two. it's become a mainstay of bed-time reading in our house. beautifully illustrated, laid out, and with an accessible choice of 'rhythms', it's a regular part of the night-time routine. i used to read the poems to my kids: now they read them to me. when my daughter wants to cheer me up, she reads me benjamin zepheniah's 'body talk'; when she wants to wind me up, she reads spike milligan's 'kids'; and when we all want a hug, i read them brain patten's 'squeezes'. utterly brilliant poetry highlights that poetry is fun. in fact, i'm online today to buy my mate's kids the book for themselves.

My children wanted to read the poems again and again, 22 Apr 2003
They really couldn't get enough of the poems. There is such a good range from Spike Milligan through to Kit Wright and on (or back) to Roger McGough. That isn't to say that the others are any less important, funny or entertaining. Even the illustrations are great. I would recommend this book to parents of children of ages from 2 to 22. Although really I bought it for myself.

Beautiful and witty, 30 May 2008
I got this book for my 5 month old daughter and I love it and so does she. The pictures are big and colourful, and she loves me reading the poems to her in a sing song way. I prefer it to books with one or two sentences! We also enjoy looking for the starfish doing silly things! The reason I have given the book 4 stars is because I would would have liked it more had it had stiffer pages that would be able to handle pulling and pushing and being chewed on. The price is also a bit steep. That said, I will still be buying the rest of the series, as its beautifully written and illustrated.

EXCELLENT, 30 Jul 2006
Giles Andreae and his partners have written several colorful, snappy, rhythmic tales that instruct children in an incredibly fun way! Commotion in the Ocean succeeds in portraying even the swordfish and the shark in a realistic, yet not overly scary way. The illustrations in the book are superior, something I personally enjoy when reading to my children.

Commotion in my House!!!!, 21 Oct 2005
I have a 2 year old who thought this book was so good we have read it at least twice a day for the past 3 weeks!!!! The poems are fantastic and the pictures are really stimulating for young ( and older!!)minds. We have spent hours pointing out which fish are which and then reading the poems, and he still isnt bored with it. His older brothers have also enjoyed reading this with him.( they have even taken to making up actions for the different creatures!)
I will now be buying the other books in the series to see if they are as good!!!Father Christmas had better stock up on book tokens!!!!!

Brilliant book for all children, 23 Jan 2004
My four month old loves this book. All the words are in Purple Ronnie style short rhymes and he loves listening to the sing-song in my voice when I read it. A lot more exciting for parents than the average teddy bears in the garden books.

Fun & accurate poems and great underwater sounds and music, 07 May 2003
By co-incidence I bought this for my son (three and three quarters) around the time we went to the sealife aquarium. It is great for car journeys where he can look at the bright pictures in the book while listening to the poems, good for night time reading and was popular when he took it to nursery.

One short poem per fish or mammal - crab, whale, shark, lobster, angel fish - you name it. One introductory poem and a final one to get the child to remembering the sea creatures they've heard about. Simple verse focuses on a particular characteristic of the creature. Sounds of the dolphins are great, and the underwater music bubbles tempting your toddler to giggle and dance.

Flip side of the tape is without music for readers following it in the book.

Fun but things I don't like, 21 Mar 2008
There are lots of positive reviews for this book and I know why. I like the illustrations as they are colourful and fun. The verse has an energy and snappiness about it that keeps things moving and the usual humour from Giles Andreae.

One thing I don't like is that most of the animals mentioned couldn't live in one jungle. Lions, tigers and panthers are likely to be in Africa, Asia and South America respectively. Some of the rhymes are very lazy like the one about the elephant that doesn't say much other than it likes elephing around. If you can't think what to say... make up a word! This would be great if that was a common technique within the book (like doctor seuss uses). But this is the only incident and I think it's weak. There are poor examples of grammar too.

However, I do like the book and my kids love it which is the final clincher I guess.

I wanted to add a bit of detail rather than it all being glowing 5 star reviews. I hope you enjoy the book! I'd give it 3.5 but not 4 stars.

Again, again!!!, 12 Nov 2007
Earlier this evening I finished reading Rumble in the Jungle to my 19 month old son for the 3rd night in a row. He has more than 40 picture books in his bedtime books selection but for the last month or 2 he has been almost exclusively fixated with this one (only Room on the Broom or the Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson get a look in now and again). Yes it could be a bit boring reading the same book every night but when when he roars with the lion and thumps his chest with the gorilla it's worth it every time! Great pictures, great rhymes, great fun.

'We can't cuddle ants!!!', 02 Oct 2005
This book is fantastic! We have to read this to our 2 year old daughter every bed time. She loves it and can't wait to get to the Gorilla wear every night she tells him that he can't cuddle the ants that are on every page as he will squash them!!

The book is full of colour, great pictures and brilliant poems that are so easy to read! If you only ever buy one book from Giles Andreae make sure it this one.

Brilliant Educational Resource!!, 02 Jan 2003
This book is amazing. It has so many cross-curricular benefits, across Primary and Seconday Teaching. I am a music teacher and found that children of all ages really enjoyed making music to this story. It also incorporates English, and possibly Drama if you wanted it to. It is a great educational resource. Evey teacher should have it!! I think the Government should issue one to every teacher! :-)

A rumble in the jungle, 05 Jul 2002
A brilliantly illustrated book of verse that is a must for all carers of under 5's. The verses themselves are a joy to read aloud. The tape that comes with the book brings life to the jungle and its animals. Hugh Lawrie's wit shines through the narrative. The flipside enables the child to follow the tape while reading the book and has a marvellous selection of music that represents the different jungle animals. Every home should have a copy.

Love is actually all around, 28 Feb 2004
This book is about a lion named Leo who didn't fit in with his pride, because he just wanted to look for love and make friends with other animals in the jungle. After he was forced to leave the pride of lions, Leo did his best to help every kind of animal in the jungle, but never asked for a thing. Eventually, he became the king of animals in a different way.
The lovely colorful cover of this book will catch your eye in the bookshop. The illustrations are animated and charming as if you were in tropical Africa. From the illustrations page by page, Leo's enthusiasm and kindness are obviously an important part of the whole story. And the most brilliant drawing is the one in which Leo's friends arrive at the bank and link themselves up tail to paw to rescue him. How smart this is!
However, in this book the thing which really moves me is the moral of the story. By means of the plot, Leo's unique way of thinking and his brave deeds deserve much praise. Although he didn't identify with his pride at first, he still knew what he really wanted. Most of the time we are taught that we are supposed to do something in a particular way. If you can't get your own convictions accepted, you will follow common concepts to live your life. Nevertheless, the ending of this book offers us a distinct way of thinking, showing us we can be what we want to be, and understand the most valuable gift in the world is love. As long as we can open our minds to accept the world, we will find much love, and we can make any dreams come true, even if they are achieved in a more difficult way.
This excellent book is worth reading as a bed-time story.

And the moral of the story is...., 19 Jul 2002
My 7 year old son introduced me to this story.
He produced it at bed time for me to read to my 4 children - 9, 7, and twins 5.
The poem was so fluid and easy to read. The moral story of Love and courage, shareing and careing was so beautifully told that i was quite moved by the end.
A delightful book to be read again and again by all ages!

A book adults will enjoy reading to children, 16 Aug 2001
I love this book as much as my three year old son. The illustrations are beautiful and so colourful and the words and story are lovely.It also conveys a good message/philosophy. We were bought this as a gift and we now give it where we can.

an excellent shared reading book, 19 Feb 2001
want to teach your children the value of whats under peoples skin then read them this book - it challenges stereotypes and leads to valuable discussions about the value of being different - fantastic

Delightful and wonderfully illustrated story, 29 Jul 1999
Another firm favourite of my 30 month old toddler's. Such a delightful rhyming story which is very easy to read and the illustrations are gorgeous. As my son loved it so much, I'm trying "Commotion in the Ocean" by the same author, which I'm sure will be just as good as this one!

A great book for toddlers, 02 Jan 2008
We got the board book version of this book out of the library for our nearly two year old, and she loves it! The illustrations are fun and colourful, and the story is simple with easy rhymes and repetition. A perfect book to read aloud at the end of the day.

Your kids will love it - you might end up hating it!, 22 Sep 2001
Apparently this book is good for the older child, but our sons are 24 months and 11 months and they both adore it. Reliably, this is the one they will pick up time and time again, and bring it to their long-suffering parents who will then through gritted teeth agree to read it out, making all the appropriate noises (how do you bellow like a walrus or flute like a flamingo, anyway?) until hoarse. The repetition is what it's all about, really. The illustrations are fine though stylised. I do wish that the "boa constrictor" was a generic "snake" as I suspect my children will now grow up thinking all snakes are boa constrictors.

I have given this book 5 stars because that is what it would get from the children. I have to admit that unlike the Dr Seuss books, which I never tire of reading again and again, I do get heartily sick of the sight of this one. Having said that, it is not full of all-white or all-male characters (by which I mean animals which are 'he') in the manner of so many children's books.

Your children will love it. You have been warned...

This is a favorite in my home childcare!, 11 Apr 2000
We sing the lines to this wonderful book. We make the sounds of the animals, and although we have read the book so many times the pages are worn, the kids do not mind. I have just as much fun as they do reading this wonderful book that teaches colors, names of animals, and more!

Lovely and gentle, 03 Aug 2008
Such a lovely board book and in my opinion it's perfect for babies and toddlers of any age really.
It's especially good for reading before a daytime nap (or any winding down time) as the beautiful rhymes and gentle illustrations can be quite soothing.
My 2 year old daughter loves it and I highly recommend it.
Buy it and you'll soon see...it will come out from the bookshelf time and time again.


amazing book let down by presentation, 26 Jan 2008
As all the other reviews say, this is an out and out classic children's book - a must have.
This copy, however, is dreadful. The paper is thin and overly glossy, making it difficult to get to the next page and it could do with being bigger as it's really all about the pictures. I bought where the wild things are at the same time and that is amazingly presented, highlighting the problem with this further. This seems like a pamphlet or concert programme - cheap.
Save money and get the board book. It's smaller but the pictures are sharper.

Charming, 14 Sep 2007
What a perfectly charming book. Children love the bouncy rhyme and they recognise many famous characters such as tom thumb and cinderella. Statistics show that if a child is not interested in a reading by the time they are 7 they never will be. This is a brilliant introduction to literature!

Lovely for young children, 06 Apr 2007
This is a lovely book for young children. Mine love looking on every page for the hidden character, and the rhyming text is great and easy to remember so little ones can join in when they've heard it a few times.
My 3 kids love this one!

Read this as a child, 13 Sep 2006
I read this book when I was in nursery school and 20 years on I still love it, this is one that my children will read. The rhyme is simple yet effective, the pictures are beautiful to look at and enjoyable as you follow the story and find the characters. A must have in every family.

The mirror of us all, 23 Jul 2008
Very special book, very special bear :)
Great rendition, though I must admit, I prefer having the individual books! (Maybe one day I shall have...)

Beautifully done tho :)

Pooh and You, 14 Jun 2008
This lovely collection of Pooh Bear is superbly presented and includes all things Pooh! Perfect for anyone who is a fan or wishes to read to someone who is just starting out as a pooh fan. excellent

A Classic that every home should have..., 23 Feb 2008
Ahhh Winnie the Pooh! One of the GREATEST classics of our time. When i was young, my mum gave me her old collection of Winnie The Pooh stories. I never put it down. Until the age of 17 I continued to read the same book. Now at 18, when i saw that they had released this...i was over the moon. I still read it whenever i can and never get bored of it. This is defiantly a classic that every house should have a copy of...my copy will be handed down to my kids/neices and nephews. :)

Wonderful book, 26 Nov 2007
My daughter is 2 and I will not allow her to have any of the Disney Winnie the Pooh books, toys etc, so I was delighted when she was given this book for her birthday yesterday. We sat down last night after her bath and read the first few pages - it brought back wonderful memories of my own childhood.

The colour pictures bring the stories very much to life, although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book is a bit heavy for a younger child to read on their own, but that will only encourage me to read this with my daughter which can only be a good thing!

Beautifully presented in the sleeve. A truly thoughtful present. Thanks Grandad!

Very nice book to own, 10 Jan 2005
Whether you have been brought up on Pooh or not it's good to have all the stories you knew, and even some you didn't, in one book.
Nice and big and good bedtime reading, maybe a bit heavy for kids to take to bed, but I'd say if you wanted to get Mum or Dad a present for having read them to you a few years ago, this nicely presented book with it's solid slide-in box cover would be perfect!

Funny poems for all ages, 11 Apr 2008
I was searching for a decent poetry book, since the one that I read as a child called Junket and Jumbles.

The Silly old Baboon poem was hilarious, and I am quite certain that the little boy for whom I bought this book will treasure it.

One small comment. If you are buying this book as new then all the poems are there, however with the second hand options go for the one that has the title 'The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry' and not the one titled just 'Utterly Brilliant Poetry' as the latter is just A5 size and missing some great poems.

A fantastic collection, 24 Sep 2007
This book makes a refreshing change from the 'usual' poetry anthology, with its focus on a small number of poets. The brief interview with each author at the start of their section puts the poems in a context, and gives a great insight into their background and inspirations, which I found fascinating. My 8 year old daughter absolutely loves this book for its selection of hilarious poems, and wonderful, bright illustrations, and adults will also take plenty from both the poetry and author interviews.

Puffin book of Utterly Brilliant poetry, 16 Jul 2006
Wow!

What a fantastic book, I am a parent of a young child (8) who has difficulties with reading and general literacy. He absolutely adored this book, some long poems for Mum to read but some that he could manage himself which was a huge confidence booster.

Spike Milligan's `The Squirdle' had him in fits of laughter as Mum kept getting it mixed up (on purpose of course) as did Benjamin Zephaniah's `Luv Song'.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and adults as it really has got something for everyone.

Believe me to see children who can't stop giggling whilst reading this book is a wonderful sight.


utterly brilliant introduction to poetry for kids, 25 Sep 2003
my mate bought this for my children two years ago, when they were four and two. it's become a mainstay of bed-time reading in our house. beautifully illustrated, laid out, and with an accessible choice of 'rhythms', it's a regular part of the night-time routine. i used to read the poems to my kids: now they read them to me. when my daughter wants to cheer me up, she reads me benjamin zepheniah's 'body talk'; when she wants to wind me up, she reads spike milligan's 'kids'; and when we all want a hug, i read them brain patten's 'squeezes'. utterly brilliant poetry highlights that poetry is fun. in fact, i'm online today to buy my mate's kids the book for themselves.

My children wanted to read the poems again and again, 22 Apr 2003
They really couldn't get enough of the poems. There is such a good range from Spike Milligan through to Kit Wright and on (or back) to Roger McGough. That isn't to say that the others are any less important, funny or entertaining. Even the illustrations are great. I would recommend this book to parents of children of ages from 2 to 22. Although really I bought it for myself.

Beautiful and witty, 30 May 2008
I got this book for my 5 month old daughter and I love it and so does she. The pictures are big and colourful, and she loves me reading the poems to her in a sing song way. I prefer it to books with one or two sentences! We also enjoy looking for the starfish doing silly things! The reason I have given the book 4 stars is because I would would have liked it more had it had stiffer pages that would be able to handle pulling and pushing and being chewed on. The price is also a bit steep. That said, I will still be buying the rest of the series, as its beautifully written and illustrated.

EXCELLENT, 30 Jul 2006
Giles Andreae and his partners have written several colorful, snappy, rhythmic tales that instruct children in an incredibly fun way! Commotion in the Ocean succeeds in portraying even the swordfish and the shark in a realistic, yet not overly scary way. The illustrations in the book are superior, something I personally enjoy when reading to my children.

Commotion in my House!!!!, 21 Oct 2005
I have a 2 year old who thought this book was so good we have read it at least twice a day for the past 3 weeks!!!! The poems are fantastic and the pictures are really stimulating for young ( and older!!)minds. We have spent hours pointing out which fish are which and then reading the poems, and he still isnt bored with it. His older brothers have also enjoyed reading this with him.( they have even taken to making up actions for the different creatures!)
I will now be buying the other books in the series to see if they are as good!!!Father Christmas had better stock up on book tokens!!!!!

Brilliant book for all children, 23 Jan 2004
My four month old loves this book. All the words are in Purple Ronnie style short rhymes and he loves listening to the sing-song in my voice when I read it. A lot more exciting for parents than the average teddy bears in the garden books.

Fun & accurate poems and great underwater sounds and music, 07 May 2003
By co-incidence I bought this for my son (three and three quarters) around the time we went to the sealife aquarium. It is great for car journeys where he can look at the bright pictures in the book while listening to the poems, good for night time reading and was popular when he took it to nursery.

One short poem per fish or mammal - crab, whale, shark, lobster, angel fish - you name it. One introductory poem and a final one to get the child to remembering the sea creatures they've heard about. Simple verse focuses on a particular characteristic of the creature. Sounds of the dolphins are great, and the underwater music bubbles tempting your toddler to giggle and dance.

Flip side of the tape is without music for readers following it in the book.

Fun but things I don't like, 21 Mar 2008
There are lots of positive reviews for this book and I know why. I like the illustrations as they are colourful and fun. The verse has an energy and snappiness about it that keeps things moving and the usual humour from Giles Andreae.

One thing I don't like is that most of the animals mentioned couldn't live in one jungle. Lions, tigers and panthers are likely to be in Africa, Asia and South America respectively. Some of the rhymes are very lazy like the one about the elephant that doesn't say much other than it likes elephing around. If you can't think what to say... make up a word! This would be great if that was a common technique within the book (like doctor seuss uses). But this is the only incident and I think it's weak. There are poor examples of grammar too.

However, I do like the book and my kids love it which is the final clincher I guess.

I wanted to add a bit of detail rather than it all being glowing 5 star reviews. I hope you enjoy the book! I'd give it 3.5 but not 4 stars.