Marvin's Funny Dance
By Sarah McConnell
Published by Hodder Childrens Books
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Meerkats tend to stick together, so Marvin’s individuality makes him rather unpopular.
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Children's Book review
Marvin's Funny Dance
Meerkats tend to stick together, so Marvin’s individuality makes him rather unpopular. But when his peer meers decide they’re fed up with being bullied by the buzzards, it’s just Marvin’s sort of different ideas which prove useful.
McConnell’s meerkats cleverly combine typical meerkat traits and behaviour with those of small children, allowing easy comparisons to be made by young readers with their own experience.
She celebrates self esteem, lateral thinking and tolerance of others in this funny, reassuring story of an outsider whose talents are eventually valued.
The witty cartoon illustrations also subtly show us how meerkats live and behave, and enhance a story which shows that persistent bullying can be faced ingenuity and successfully overcome without hurting anyone.
Reading age: 5+
Interest level: 3+
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