Young children will love finding out about jungle creatures with these smart 'snappy' pop-up books. Each of the five spreads features a pop-up bird, animal or reptile (a crocodile, hippo, toucan, orangutan and a leopard), but the pages are split so you don't know which mix of animals you will find - which will make children giggle and, I am sure, reach out to find other funny pairings.

With younger children, you can share the noise the creature makes; there are also notes in rhyming text under flaps that share some facts about that creature. The pop-ups are nicely produced, very sturdy, and would certainly add to any displays you're doing around the topics the books cover - Jungle in this book and a sister title, Farm.

Reading Zone

Always fun to mix and match animals and this pop up book of roaring animals is a delight.

Angles and Urchins

Children can design
their own animal faces
with this mix and match
pop-up book. They
might, for example,
create a 'crocopotamus'
by combining the top of
a crocodiles face with the
bottom of a hippopotamus.
As each flap is opened, the
boldly coloured, openmouthed
animals amuse
and surprise with their
sharp teeth and funny grins.
Children can join in with
chomps, croaks, snaps and
oohs, turning over leaves to
reveal factual information
about real animals.
As well as learning about
animals and enjoying the
playfulness of language,
this book supports children
with phonics. Written
animal names are split with
the flaps, so as children
combine, say, an orangutan
and a leopard they have fun
sounding out 'orangupard'.
The words are in capital
letters to reflect the drama
of the illustrations, so very
early readers would need
extra support. This book is
great fun and will delight
children whatever their age
and stage.

Early Years Educator