posted on 09 Dec 2019

The Orangutan Who Sang by Jay Vincent, illustrated by Stew Wright

I had a bit of a moment when I read this  new picture book from Jay Vincent. I was whisked back to my early school days when I was reduced to a jelly by the prospect of being asked to read out loud or express an opinion in class IN FRONT OF EVERYONE! If you haven’t been through that, you just don’t know the torture it represents.

Although I got over this terrible set of social fears eventually, they went with me into secondary school and it was still years after that when I could speak out loud with any sense of confidence or equanimity. You’ll probably find plenty of people who now think I’ve over-compensated for those times in my later adult life – try stopping me having an opinion (usually contrary) these days.

But back then it scarred my days and Jay Vincent clearly understands what this all feels like and it forms the basis of his new picture storybook for 3 – 6 year olds called The Orangutan Who Sang.

Olly the orangutan has a fabulous voice and loves singing – he just can’t do it in front of anyone else. It’s not just that he can’t sing in public, any event that makes him the centre of attention fills him with dread and embarrassment. So when he fall out of his tree in front of the assembled jungle animals he does a runner to find sanctuary somewhere on his own. What he doesn’t know if that his jungle friends are all concerned for him and are desperate to find out where he’s disappeared to.

Meanwhile Olly’s having adventures of his own – including a run-in with a very hungry crocodile! Will he find a way to let his voice out at last? Can he overcome his self-doubt?

Well, you’ll find out for yourself if you read the story, told in verse, and take a look at the detailed and often teeming colour illustrations from Stew Wright. The book comes courtesy of Meze publishing and is part of their Mini Meze series, their first incursion into children’s publishing and a pretty good one at that.

The book includes some friendly comprehension questions at the end if there are teachers who want to use the book in a classroom setting but for me these are unnecessary – I’m sure children will respond to the story without prompting in this way. I’m always concerned that questions like this – however gently presented – give the impression that the book is work rather than enjoyment.

But that’s a minor criticism and I look forward to the next two books in the series I’m A Horse Of Course and The Shark Who Barked.

 

Terry Potter

December 2019