Not Me! by Nicola Killen - Revision history

Sue at 09:08, 3 September 2020

2020-09-03T09:08:49Z

Kieran at 17:41, 4 April 2018

2018-04-04T17:41:56Z

Sue at 13:54, 5 January 2015

2015-01-05T13:54:07Z

Keith at 14:25, 27 April 2010

2010-04-27T14:25:08Z

Keith: Created page with '{{infobox |title=Not Me! |author=Nicola Killen |reviewer=Keith Dudhnath |genre=For Sharing |summary=A deceptively simple but utterly charming look at a group of scamps getting up…'

2010-04-27T14:24:43Z

Created page with '{{infobox |title=Not Me! |author=Nicola Killen |reviewer=Keith Dudhnath |genre=For Sharing |summary=A deceptively simple but utterly charming look at a group of scamps getting up…'

New review

{{infobox
|title=Not Me!
|author=Nicola Killen
|reviewer=Keith Dudhnath
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=A deceptively simple but utterly charming look at a group of scamps getting up to all sorts of trouble. The illustrations are super, and the rhyming structure serves as an excellent introduction to playing with language. Warmly recommended.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1405248297
|hardback=1405248297
|paperback=1405248300
|pages=32
|publisher=Egmont
|date=May 2010
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405248297</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1405248297</amazonus>
|website=http://nicolakillen.blogspot.com/
}}

A group of kids are playing, and making an awful mess. One by one they're asked if they're responsible, and one by one they deny any involvement. But have they been caught red handed, and will it really fall upon Jess the pup to do all the tidying up?

''Not Me!'' is a deceptively simple story. It has a very clear format:

''Who's been eating all the cake?''
''"Not me!" said Jake.''

The rhymes will have the young audience chiming in every time. More importantly, they'll inspire them to play along with their own examples. Try reading it to a group of young kids, and you'll have a great time as they laugh along when you add them to the story. It's a perfect introduction to rhyming and playing with language. It's direct, accessible, but with a huge scope for all that you might want to do with it.

With such a simple plot, you might think it's only suitable for the very youngest book fans. Not true. Nicola Killen's illustrations tell most of the story - Jake, of course, has chocolate smeared all round his mouth, and is sitting in a pile of crumbs. There's trouble on every page as Jake, Jane, Bertie, Paul, Louise and Jess the pup make an awful mess. She's got a fresh and engaging illustration style - each scene is built up from a number of prints. With all that's going on, it's a real joy to pore over.

This is Nicola Killen's first book, and I'm excited to see what she'll do next. The sweet illustrations, eye for adventure and ear for a turn of phrase carry with them plenty of promise. The simple story is ideal for the young audience, and the quality extends the age range. I'd love to see what she produces for slightly older children - that's just me being greedy! It's lovely, gentle, funny, and warmly recommended.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

[[On My Walk by Kari-Lynn Winters and Christina Leist]] has a similar atmosphere to it. [[Lively Elizabeth! by Mara Bergman and Cassia Thomas]] looks at the interactions between another group of kids. [[Dear Miss by Amy Husband]] has a cheeky wink in its eye.

{{amazontext|amazon=0192729934}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7097276}}

{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 This is Nicola Killen's first book, and I'm excited to see what she'll do next. The sweet illustrations, eye for adventure and ear for a turn of phrase carry with them plenty of promise. The simple story is ideal for the young audience, and the quality extends the age range. I'd love to see what she produces for slightly older children - that's just me being greedy! It's lovely, gentle, funny, and warmly recommended.
-My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
+My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.  We also have a review of [[I Got a Crocodile by Nicola Killen]].
 [[On My Walk by Kari-Lynn Winters and Christina Leist]] has a similar atmosphere to it. [[Lively Elizabeth! by Mara Bergman and Cassia Thomas]] looks at the interactions between another group of kids. [[Dear Miss by Amy Husband]] has a cheeky wink in its eye.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox2
 |title=Not Me!
 |author=Nicola Killen
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |publisher=Egmont
 |date=May 2010
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405248297</amazonuk>
+|aznuk=1405248297
-|amazonus=<amazonus>1405248297</amazonus>
+|aznus=1405248297
 |website=http://nicolakillen.blogspot.com/
 }}

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 |borrow=Yes
 |isbn=978-1405248297
 |pages=32
 |publisher=Egmont
@@ Line 36: / Line 34: @@
 [[On My Walk by Kari-Lynn Winters and Christina Leist]] has a similar atmosphere to it. [[Lively Elizabeth! by Mara Bergman and Cassia Thomas]] looks at the interactions between another group of kids. [[Dear Miss by Amy Husband]] has a cheeky wink in its eye.
-{{amazontext|amazon=0192729934}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7097276}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0192729934}}
 {{commenthead}}

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ''Not Me!'' is a deceptively simple story. It has a very clear format:
-''Who's been eating all the cake?''
+''"Who's been eating all the cake?"''<br>
 ''"Not me!" said Jake.''