Incy wincy spider ill. by Karen Erasmus
Hachette, 2014. ISBN 9780734415493.
(Age: 3-5) Recommended. Picture book. Humour. Nursery rhyme. What a
lively and joyous little tale is presented here as the Incy Wincy we
all know being washed out of the water spout is given an airing as
he tries in vain to find a safe haven. Children will love reading of
his adventures, and be encouraged to add another refrain, telling of
Wincy's trials.
The nursery rhyme has only four lines:
Incy wincy spider climbed up the water sppout
Down came the rain and washed poor Incy out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.
There are versions with slight word changes, but the poem in this
book takes the story further as Wincy tries to find a place of
safety. Youtube has a number of presentations of this song for
children to sing along to, including one by the Wiggles, as well as
a Disney one.
This one has Wincy climbing under the house, or up a sandcastle, or
climbing into the laundry hamper or finding a warm bed which belongs
to the family dog. Each time something or someone chases him out.
The illustrations by Erasmus complete the very funny tale, by an
unnamed author, encouraging classes again to make their own Wincy
spider and poem.
Fran Knight