Sara Patricia Kelly

A collection of eleven sing-along poems by Sara Patricia Kelly.

4 a.m. Raspberry Party: Childhood Poems is a collection of eleven poems for young children, by author Sara Patricia Kelly, featuring four characters: Flossie Bossy, Jammy, Jumperlina and Cat. The delightful ‘What are the Bubbles?’ explores the wonder and magic of bubbles in different forms, Bubbles are moments, shiny and bright; adventures in childhood, a magical flight.  ‘Recipe for a Green Pea Monster’, explores the joys (and mess!) of cooking for, and feeding, a little one. My favourite in this collection is the title of the book ‘4 a.m. Raspberry Party’, with its clever use of rhyme, repetition and alliteration, this is a joy to read. ‘My Sister is an Owl’ is a sweet poem, about a girl who is adjusting to the arrival of a new baby sister ‘Coochi coo,’ the grown-ups ooh around the baby bed. I was number one before; now she’s the star, instead.

4 a.m. Raspberry Party: Childhood is a beautifully written collection of poetry for younger readers. The poems are silly, fun and a joy to read aloud, each capturing precious moments of childhood. The poems are accompanied with sing-along melodies on the authors website. The author encourages readers to sing-along and record musical versions of the poems, and to share their creativity online. The variety of poems introduces young readers to different poetic forms and styles, which will help to develop language skills and an appreciation for poetry.  It is a book that children and their parents or caregivers can enjoy and sing-along together, creating precious memories that will last a lifetime.

The delicate, hand painted water colour illustrations by Ella Elviana are simply stunning.

Star rating: 5 Stars

Summary: A sensational, sweet, sing-along collection of poems, which celebrates the joy and innocence of childhood. A must-have for every child’s library or bookshelf.