Grandma Goes Shopping

I must admit that this splendid book is one I failed to appreciate fully when it appeared in hardcover. Essentially it is a cumulative game which begins with 'an amiable alligator' and continues through some very strange purchases including 'a variegated vicuna' and a 'bicycle built for two' on which Grandma finally returns --- just --- sporting a candy-striped jumpsuit and a porter's cap. All this is humorously depicted but the illustrations show much much more; in fact there is another story taking place for unbeknown to gran she has a small passenger, a mouse, accompanying her, and we can see his various activities as she pedals along. A close look at the pictures will also reveal a whole host of nursery characters juxtaposed with the ordinary, a game of noughts and crosses taking place on gran's shoulder bag and lots of other interesting items: see what you and your children can discover. Definitely one of those books where the whole is far more than the sum of its parts.