If you're cheeky and you know it by P. Crumble

Ill. by Chris Kennett. Scholastic Australia, 2013. ISBN: 9781742836478.
One for the 3-5 year olds. If you're familiar with the rhyme, clap your hands!
A whole new generation of pre-school children are being exposed to the old rhymes and songs through this series of colourful picture books by P. Crumble. This version follows on from his previously published If you're happy and you know it! Australian Edition but features a collection of common African animals with a frog and penguin thrown in for good measure.
While the rhyme is familiar it is Chris Kennett's illustrations which bring the book alive with their comic, colourful appearance, huge eyes and expressive faces. Each animal has an action with the others joining in. My favourite page would have to be the meerkat and other animals staring.
With the complete rhyme written on the first page, each other action is a double page spread introducing the animal and action with simple and clear and colourful text. Having introduced all the actions the final pages have the complete rhyme for each animal. A great help to parents or carers who have forgotten the pattern of the song.
I can see many youngsters enjoying an active sing along with this book and some adults reminiscing at the first reading before encouraging independent reading using the pictures as cues.
Sue Keane