The Wonky Donkey
(Craig Smith; ill. Katz Cowley). This Christchurch ex-busker has produced an irresistible patter song which has already achieved overseas success. The book is accompanied by a cd of The Wonky Donkey song, as well as other material written and performed by the author. This rinky- dinky piece of hanky- panky may turn out to be a one-hit wonder for Smith, as it would be a very hard act to follow. But of course one-hit wonders are often outstanding because they are strong enough to propel relative unknowns into the limelight.
This is one such book. Anyone who has a chance to hear a live performance of The Wonky Donkey song should definitely take it.
The story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a simple one that emphasizes numbers and days of the week. The caterpillar is not only very hungry, but he also has unusual tastes in food, ones that delight children. After popping out of an egg on Sunday, the very hungry caterpillar eats holes through the book's pages as he eats his way through a variety of foods, beginning with one apple on Monday and two pears on Tuesday and ending with five oranges on Friday and 10 different foods on Saturday (chocolate cake, ice cream, a pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, a lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, a cupcake, and watermelon).
Not surprisingly, the very hungry caterpillar ends up with a stomach ache. Fortunately, a serving of one green leaf helps. The now very fat caterpillar builds a cocoon. After staying in it for two weeks, he nibbles a hole in the cocoon and emerges into a beautiful butterfly.
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