View source for The Belly Book by Fran Manushkin and Dan Yaccarino

{{infobox
|title=The Belly Book
|sort=Belly Book, The
|author=Fran Manushkin and Dan Yaccarino
|reviewer=Louise Jones
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9780230768048
|pages=32
|publisher= Macmillan Children's Books
|date=June 2013
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230768040</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0230768040</amazonus>
|website=http://franmanushkin.com/
|video=
|summary=A celebration of bellies, looking at tums of all shapes and sizes.
}}
The formula for the perfect children’s picture book may go something like this:

Simple Theme + Rhyming Text + Memorable Phrases + Great Illustrations = Happy readers.

In which case, it would seem that the authors of ''The Belly Book'' have followed this blueprint to the letter, resulting in a delightful book that is perfect for cosy snuggle time on the sofa.

The book, as the title suggests, is a celebration of bellies. It embraces differences and marvels at all the things our tummies can do. After all, bellies are great for making a big splash in the pool, taking in food, dancing and even belching! Young readers will love the gentle, light-hearted humour in this book. My favourite page was the one about 'itchy tummies' that 'make me wriggle' and 'ticklish tummies' that 'make me giggle'. I couldn’t resist tickling my son’s tummy as I read it and he was squirming and chuckling with delight as I did so!

The illustrations are simple and eye-catching. They have a childlike quality to them and are drawn in nice, bold colours. I also like the way that the illustrator has incorporated lots of different skin tones into the pictures. Parents and children will find lots of things to talk about as they discuss what is happening on each page. Most of the characters in the book are children, although we also have the odd alien and animal belly added for good measure.

The rhyming text is bouncy and cheerful and adds to the appeal of the book. My son wanted to read it over and over again. So did I.

After reading ''The Belly Book'' kids and parents will have a new-found appreciation for their bellies and perhaps enjoy some well-deserved tickle time. As it says on the cover: ''Bellies are great, so let’s celebrate!''

For more cosy sofa tickle time, I suggest [[The Tickle Ghost by Brett McKee and David McKee]].

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[[Category:Fran Manushkin]]
[[Category:Dan Yaccarino]]