It’s summer! Not only is the perfect time for travel, adventure and lots of fun, it’s also time for some holidays tales. While many families are packing their bags for the beach or visiting another country, the ladybird is also off on her holiday, and this time, she’s swapped farmyard clucks for city squawks in What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks (the third instalment in the What the Ladybird Heard series).
For her next adventure, the ladybird has set her sights on visiting London, But this isn’t just any holiday – it’s a full-on adventurous caper featuring zoo animals, royal jewels and those two bumbling crooks, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, whose criminal career is just one blunder after another.
Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, two loveable but laughably incompetent villains who once tried to steal a prize cow, are back. But for their next get rich quick scheme they don’t want to steal a cow or a fat red hen, this time their ambitions are sky-high – they want the Queen’s crown! But how, you ask? Well, by kidnapping a monkey from the zoo and training it to climb into Buckingham Palace. Sneaky? Yes. Likely to succeed? Not on your royal nelly.
Now, at the same exact time, the ladybird has also decided to visit London for her holiday. Enjoying her trip to the capital, she overhears their plot and immediately hatches a brilliant plan. She enlists help from the zoo animals a crocodile, tiger, lion, monkeys, elephant, camel, hyena, hummingbird, and yes, even the Queen’s corgi’s. Together, they create a clever scheme to stop the this most royal of thefts in its tracks.
What unfolds is a hilarious race against time, told in Julia Donaldson’s signature rhyming verse that dances off the page with wit and rhythm. It’s the kind of story that practically begs to be read aloud, whether you are on holiday or tucked into bed after a long day of summer play.
Overall, What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday is a perfect summer read (and not just while you are on your holiday). Written in humorous rhyming verse, children will adore this adventure. It’s packed with humour, talking animals, clever plans, famous London landmarks and, of course, a ladybird on every page.
With repetition and rhyming verse, it tells a fun story that will help boost early literacy skills and the visual storytelling helps support comprehension, both making it a delight to read.
Julia Donaldson has created loveable characters with the ladybird, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, while the storytelling is absurd fun.
But we can’t forget the wonderful illustrations by Lydia Monks, after all they do make up a large part of the book. Lydia Monks elevates the story with her trademark vibrant collage-style art. Each page glows with expressive animals and eye-popping details that give life to the story and helps young page turners visualise the ladybirds adventures. The pages are packed with colourful mischief. While the text is fun, the illustrations are a visual treasure hunt. Monks brings London to life with flair, making everything from Tower Bridge to Buckingham Palace feel magical.
What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday is a brilliant summertime read. It’s cheerful, cheeky and packed with plot twists. It’s ideal for kids aged 3 to 8, and just like its predecessors, it begs for multiple readings. Whether you’re lounging in the garden, curled up on the sofa or lying in bed, this book adds sparkle to your story time.
A picture book that is lots of royal fun for little readers with one extremely clever ladybird and two massively bungling thieves.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback)
For more information, visit www.juliadonaldson.co.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.
DISCLOSURE: All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you decide to purchase through the Amazon link (it helps with the running costs of the website).
Note: What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday has since been republished as What the Ladybird Heard at the Zoo