It was you, Blue Kangaroo! - Emma Chichester Clark

...did it, she replies that it was Blue Kangaroo, so her mother decides that if Blue Kangaroo can't behave then he'll have to go up high on the bookshelf all by himself.

This makes Lily very sad because she loves her little friend and can't sleep without him. She is very sorry that she blamed him.

Meanwhile, Blue Kangaroo decides it would be a good idea to draw a picture with the word sorry on it and he slips it under the ...
...on a white background making it easy for children to read.

***My Thoughts***

I'm really getting to love this little blue character along with this cheeky little girl. This story in particular shows that it is never a good idea to blame your bad behaviour on someone else, because you only end up feeling sad and lonely because of it.

This book isn't just about learning lessons about responsibility though, ... more

***Background***

It's a while since my son had read the lovely Christmas story called Just For You Blue Kangaroo, and he was delighted to see this other book in the series by Emma Chichester Clark. This author doesn't just write this series of books but illustrates them too and there are quite a few books in this series for you to choose from.

***The Story***

The story starts,

"Blue Kangaroo belonged to Lily.
He was her very own kangaroo.
Sometimes, when Lily was very naughty she would say, 'It was you, Blue Kangaroo?'
And Blue Kangaroo would look at Lily, but say nothing."

The story then tells of how Lily decides to give her dolls a bath in the sink but ends up leaving the tap running and she ends up blaming Blue Kangaroo. The next day she tries to dress the cat in some old baby clothes but the cat panics and pulls the curtains down. Again Blue Kangaroo gets the blame.

The story continues by telling us about more things that Lily does wrong and every time when her mother asks who did it, she replies that it was Blue Kangaroo, so her mother decides that if Blue Kangaroo can't behave then he'll have to go up high on the bookshelf all by himself.

This makes Lily very sad because she loves her little friend and can't sleep without him. She is very sorry that she blamed him.

Meanwhile, Blue Kangaroo decides it would be a good idea to draw a picture with the word sorry on it and he slips it under the mother's bedroom door. In the morning her mother is pleased with the drawing and asks Lily who drew it. The story ends,

"Lily looked at the picture.
'It was you, Blue Kangaroo!'
she whispered.
And Blue Kangaroo smiled,
but he said nothing."

***The Illustrations***

The drawings in this series of books are beautifully realistic and Lily is brought to life in a really delightful way. I love the way that Blue Kangaroo is shown in a little circle at the bottom of the page when he is worrying about how much trouble that Lily is getting herself into. The text is shown on a white background making it easy for children to read.

***My Thoughts***

I'm really getting to love this little blue character along with this cheeky little girl. This story in particular shows that it is never a good idea to blame your bad behaviour on someone else, because you only end up feeling sad and lonely because of it.

This book isn't just about learning lessons about responsibility though, it's about a special friendship between and a child and a favourite toy. Most children have a certain toy that goes everywhere with them and Blue Kangaroo is a great example of how they can become almost like a real friend to them. My son has a grey rabbit that he always takes to bed and it's only recently that we've been able to persuade him to leave it at home when we go to the shops or visiting friends. He has also been known to blame his bunny for things that have happened in the house so we can relate to this book without any problem whatsoever.

What helps make this simple story a joy to read is the gorgeous and funny pictures that go with the text. My favourite has to be the picture of Lily dressing her cat up, because the look on the cat's face has got so much realistic horror in it. Following on from this is the cat hanging upside down from the curtains and this again is hilarious.

Emma Chichester Clark seems to know children's thoughts very well and captures what comes naturally to every young toddler. No child likes to own up for something they have done wrong but this book really helps to show that it's not all bad and that the best thing to do is to realise your mistake and apologise for it.

***Other Blue Kangaroo Books***

Just For You, Blue Kangaroo!
I Love You, Blue Kangaroo
Where Are You, Blue Kangaroo?
Happy Birthday To You, Blue Kangaroo
What Shall We Do, Blue Kangaroo?
I'll Show You, Blue Kangaroo!

***Price and Availability***

The price on the back on this paperback is £5.99 but you can get it for only £4.49 from Amazon.

ISBN No. 000713097X 

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