Oh No!

Oh No! by James Foley (Penguin Random House) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781761355073

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

‘What’s that noise?’ The sound of clapping fills the air as an elephant holds a special cake. Then splat, crash, bash, smash! A dizzy pig bumps into the elephant, and he falls down some stairs. The noises get louder and louder as more and more things go very badly wrong. In the end, the cake is saved … until a dizzy pig turns up. Oh no!

James Foley draws on oodles of onomatopoeia in this chaotically cacophonous tale that’s sure to elicit giggles from three- to five-year-olds. Every page turn takes youngsters somewhere unexpected, from a pool full of piranhas to a smoochy monkey wedding. And just when the reader thinks they’ve reached the end, the cracking circular story suddenly starts again. Clap, clap, clap …

James’s cartoon images sizzle with sensational colour, and each new character pops from the paper with personality. Illustrating onomatopoeic words rather than just typing them ensures they are linked to the action on the spreads; it also encourages kids to shout them at the top of their voices. This makes the book both hilarious and interactive.

As readers ride the wild wave of Oh No!, they’ll splash through literacy goals with a smile on their face. Then they’ll race back to the beginning again just because the riotous journey is so much fun.