By Anna Scott
Publisher description:
‘Once upon a time there was a lovely town. It was so well kept that it was set to win the Tidiest Town Competition for the third year in a row’. But then the Great Apes came to town and well, that all changed…
Will the pernickety mayor ever win the Tidiest Town competition with these unruly visitors around?
**
Sometimes I think my kids are getting too old for picture books, but then we start reading one and I remember no one is ever too old for picture books. Apes-a-Go-Go! is a very welcome addition to this genre, containing many ingredients that make up a good story: animals, mess, a moral that isn’t in the slightest bit preachy and excellent, retro-style illustrations.
In his strive for perfection, the Mayor of an impeccably-kept town calls in the apes to iron out any teeny-tiny niggles that might ruin their chances of winning the Tidiest Town competition. Of course, havoc ensues, resulting in not only a funny read for younger ones but a very welcome lesson that perhaps being the tidiest isn’t the be-all and end-all, and in that quest for perfection you might be missing out on a whole lot of fun. (A very welcome lesson in this house because as much as a certain degree of tidiness and order is a goal, we find ourselves getting less stressed all around when we accept it will always have what we like to call a ‘lived-in’ feel.)
The great illustrations, by Dorset-resident A. Richard Allen, remind me of the old Hanna Barbera cartoons that I used to watch as a kid and the purple-green tones make a refreshing change from the overload of pastels currently on my children’s shelves. The author of this book, Roman Milisic, is rather a big name on the New York fashion scene, so it comes as no surprise that this story plays on the benefits of creativity and individualism. This is an engaging, amusing read, for younger and older kids alike, that not only has creativity at its heart but also relishes its use of creative language.
And best of all, it’s given me an excuse to put off the tidying up again.
About the author:
Anna Scott is a freelance writer, parent, procrastinator and Hammersmith resident. When she’s not attempting to write her first young adult fiction novel, in between reading and reviewing the odd book or two, she can be found chasing after her two little girls. In a previous life she was a politics graduate and wine trade lackey. Head over to Anna Scott Jots to find out more…
