Review

Boo Goes Tutti Frutti’s bright front cover is a huge draw for tamariki and this combined with the funny title was why my preschool class chose this book to read. I knew from the first two lines that this book was going to be an enjoyable read aloud.

Boo the dog has worked up an appetite out in the garden but then he discovers there’s not a scrap or crumb for his starving tum-tum! A bowl catches Boo’s eye and with a “Jump! Thump! Bump!”, he knocks the fruit onto the floor. After licking, nudging and smudging the kiwifruit and plums he decides they are not to his liking. However, he enjoys the avocado so much that he gobbles three more. Boo has solved his hunger problem but he has created a terrible mess, and how will his owners deal with the chaos he created?

The rhythm, rhyme and repetition in Boo Goes Tutti Frutti reads similarly to Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary series. The repetition invites tamariki to participate in the story and anticipate what might happen next. The alliteration and descriptive language that Rachel Weston plays with – “teetered… tottered… greedily guzzled” – made Boo Goes Tutti Frutti such a fun read, and excellent for tamariki who are learning language and eager to add to their vocabulary.

Boo was just mischievous enough to keep my audience of 3 and 4 year olds engaged and curious about what would happen next. The amusement and shock over the huge mess Boo was making kept them in suspense, and they found it hilarious that a dog was eating fruit; especially that he liked eating avocados!

Young children will enjoy this fun picture book by Rachel Weston. From the colourful illustrations to the wonderful language, Boo Goes Tutti Frutti is a great choice if you’re looking for a light-hearted, entertaining read for your little ones.