We love a bit of nonsense in our house so UPSYDOWN TOWN is very well read! It isn’t really a story, just a lovely nonsensical description of a land where everything is a bit topsy turvy. Fun elements include fish and various other animals flying in the sky, birds swimming in the sea, thin elephants, trains driven by walruses and planes piloted by chickens.
UPSYDOWN TOWN is a fun introduction to poetry and rhyme and we make up our own versions of the story and find words that rhyme with the pictures. My daughter loves rhymes and constantly drops rhyming words into her conversation so this is a fun book to read with her. Supported by wonderfully bold, colourful illustrations there is an invitation to turn the book around towards the end which means that everything is (almost!) back to normal by the last page. Despite repeated readings my daughter only noticed yesterday that the flowers also grow upside down!
This book also provides a child with lots of opportunities to count. My daughter loves counting the elephants (there are over 30 so it’s still a big challenge for her!) and the bananas in the sky. The rhyming and the counting make it a very interactive book to share.
A really fun book that has stood up to repeated readings in our house.
Age Range: 3 +
Author: Beth Shoshan / Author/Illustrator: Sue Hendra
You may already know Barry, the Fish with Fingers which is another story from Sue Hendra that we like.
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