Illustrations by Jess Golden
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Release Date: January 16, 2016
An international twist on a familiar nursery rhyme, this book introduces use to a busy three-wheeled taxi in India. Anything and everything happens as the tuk tuk rolls through town--from an elephant encounter to a taste treat to a grand fireworks display.
Have you ever heard a song sung in another language that was originally written in English? Usually, the syllables don't all match the song, while close to the original version, sounds stilted and odd. That is the problem with this book. The idea of it is fantastic, but the words simply didn't go with the traditional tune of The Wheels on the Bus. I tried. I sang it out loud, trying to force the words to work with the melody, but I couldn't. Some were close, but most of the song felt like it was missing or had one too many beats. I applaud the attempt to make a multi-cultural story like this. I myself own a New Zealand version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. (A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree) However, if you are going to cram your story into a well-known tune, it must actually fit, otherwise the song and the story fall flat.
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