Reviewed by Dannielle Viera
Every child knows the nursery rhyme Mary Had a Little
Lamb – or do they? What if the writer ‘left the good bits out’? When the
Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly goes ‘stark raving mad’, she starts eating every
pet in town … and Little Bo Peep’s sheep have gone missing! It’s up to Mary to
find the old lady and rescue the animals from her tummy (thank goodness ‘the
beastly woman had no teeth and couldn’t chew’!).
Amelia McInerney turns literary conventions on their head in this rollicking rhyme aimed at kids aged four to seven. Rather than being a passive protagonist, Mary inspires youngsters with her dynamic ingenuity, strength, and bravery. Amelia’s hilarious tale twists and turns in unexpected ways, which is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until they find out ‘What Really Happened’.
Natashia Curtin’s action-packed illustrations offer plenty for young eyes to look at. Slightly muted colours allow the detail and movement in each image to come to the fore. Mary rocks a Princess Leia vibe thanks to her hairstyle; this is a subtle visual reflection of her heroic courage and leadership in a time of crisis.
A magnificent mash-up with a surprising conclusion, Mary
Had a Little Lamb – What Really Happened will tickle children’s funny bones every time the
story is read. With each laugh they’ll learn that it’s okay to be bold and to
use your brains – especially when standing up to an insatiable adversary.
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