The Teeny Weeny Genie by Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Anna Currey
Published by Pan Macmillan
Date: 14 July 2020
R.R.P. $26.99
It was one of those books that had me unsure at first and then by a few pages in I felt an enormous smile reach the ends of my mouth. It’s fun, loud and chaotic and surprising at the end when two genies help each other. Who would have thought being a genie would be so exhausting?
Julia Donaldson is a much loved and well-known author. Most people would know her for the beloved The Gruffalo, which is loved by so many children across the globe. She has also delighted us with The Detective Dog, The Go-Away Bird, and so many more.
Old MacDonald had a farm, and on that farm he had a farmhouse, and in that farmhouse he had a cupboard, And in that cupboard he had a teapot, And in that teapot lived a teeny weeny blue genie.
…And this is where the adventures to begin. Old MacDonald kept the genie very busy throughout the book which made the farm busier, crazier and more out of control than ever. It’s not until the genie discovers another genie that he can find calm.
This book is a light-hearted tale about being careful about what you wish for. With all the wishes that the Farmer asks for it gets a little crazy and it feels loud. Children will enjoy discovering and making animal noises.
With the illustrations, I like that there is some white space around the pictures. What I am not a huge fan of is the genie. I am not saying the genies are not drawn well, the illustrator Anne Curry is quite talented and her work throughout the book is lovely. I feel like the genies are quite different from the remainder of the illustrations. However, I know children are going to love the genies, so it’s a personal thing.
Overall, it is a fun book that many children will love. They will love the Old MacDonald’s farm theme; they will love craziness and the animals running around anywhere.
After their cup of tea, the two genies climbed into the first teapot and fell asleep. Please don’t disturb them if you ever find that teapot on the beach.
Thank you Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.
Little Big Reads 