Hey Diddle Diddle It’s National Simultaneous Storytime

Today at 11am was National simultaneous Storytime (NSS) which is an annual Australian event that is aimed at encouraging young Australians to read and enjoy books.  More information can be found at ALIA.

This years book is The Cow Tripped Over the Moon by Tony Wilson and Laura Wood.  It is such a fun story, and in celebration of NSS I thought I would share my thoughts on this book.

The Cow Tipped Over the Moon by Tony Wilson
Illustrated by Laura Wood
Published by Scholastic
Date: 2015

Hey diddle diddle you all know the riddle, A cow jumps over the moon. It happened, all right, On a crisp, cloudless night On the second-last Friday in June.

And so the story begins…I was taken in by these first few lines and couldn’t wait to see what the remainder of the book would bring.  It certainly didn’t disappoint, I loved it.
The book is humorous, fun and interactive which is what makes it a perfect read for #NSS2017.

I love that the author has taken a familiar rhyme and made it into a story, children thrive on familiarity so this book ticks many boxes.  The author has written it so that words rhyme which assist with reading and language development because of the similar sounding words.

The illustrator, Laura wood has done a beautiful job of the drawings.  She has captured the character faces well.  From the looks of surprise, the tears, the sleepy eyes and the proud face of the cow.  The illustrations are dark but this fits with the theme of the book, night time and the moon.

I like how the moon attempts are recorded with the time…when reading the story to children this bit becomes interactive as you talk about how late it is and how very tired the cow and his friends may be.

This picture here I am sharing because I love that it has no words, despite the sad faces I love the expression on the animal faces and I love the conversation that it inspires.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic book to read to your little one or your preschooler, whether it be one on one or in a group.  It really is just a lovely book.

Over the next few days I will share links to what people have shared this book on #NSS2017 as I know there are a few fun videos going to be loaded up.

Just for a little fun enjoy this little clip of the Cat and the Fiddle that is in the arcade in Hobart Tasmania.