Reviewed by Dannielle Viera
‘It was the middle of the night …’ A sudden sound wakes Mr Grumble Bumble, Mrs Brittle Little and Mr Arden Garden. What can they see? A big, black monster that is scary and noisy and smelly. They can’t go back to sleep, so they have tea and pancakes. By the time they have finished, the sun has come up – and they finally recognise the rooster that had kept them up all night.
Pamela Allen uses the power of rhyme and repetition to great effect in this simple picture book for three- to five-year-olds. As the mystery builds, kids will enjoy guessing who or what is making the strange sound. And, given that they know the title of the book, they will be pleased with themselves when they work out the answer before the adult protagonists.
Pamela’s quirky vignettes carry the story well, and it’s clear on the characters’ faces that they’re somewhat afraid of the thing they can’t identify. While readers may have worked out early on that a rooster is crowing, the shadowy images of what the characters behold before dawn are vague enough to introduce intriguing doubt to young minds.
Littlies
will love the read-aloud drama of Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! A fun story that helps to dispel the fear
of the dark, it’s sure to be at the top of the pecking order for bedtime books.
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