The poems in this delightful collection will have adults and children alike tip-tapping their toesies and clapping and rocking along – though some may want to draw the line at sim-somersaulting as they read - it could be risky.

The eighteen poems in Doodledum Dancing are very easy to read because they move along at a glorious pace and are both fun and funny. Youngsters will love the rhythm and movement, but they will be equally captivated by Costain’s wonderful use of language – words such as those in Loose Tooth:

A wibbly wobbly
Angly dangly
Wiggly waggly
Loose tooth.

make for fun reading and plenty of giggling.

Also giggle-inducing are the illustrations by Pamela Allen, bringing each poem to life with simple yet rich images which capture the movement of the poems perfectly.

This is an exuberant offering which parents will love reading to their preschoolers, and older children will enjoy reading by themselves. It is also perfect for classroom use.

DoodledumDancing, by Meredith Costain and Pamela Allen
Penguin Australia, 2006

Read my Blog entry about sharing this book with the murphlets here.

More Fun verse Offerings

The Moon in the Man, by Elizabeth Honey
Meet the Monsters, by Max Fatchen