Don’t Be Silly!

Bouncy Bo and Little Smudge are siblings full of energy and fun. They love dancing and jumping and running. But the grown ups always say, ‘Don’t be silly!’ Then one day their dad, a judge, takes them to meet their grandparents who’ve been away touring. And Grandma and Grandpa have more energy than Bo and Smudge put together!

A delightfully fun picture book with a jaunty rhyming text. The reader will feel for poor Bo and Smudge, who simply have high spirits, and it’s a lovely reveal that there are indeed some adults who aren’t super-boring. The illustrations have lots of fun details to spot, such as the portraits on the wall who are unimpressed by the children’s antics. This would be great to read with a grandparent, or indeed to share with a whole group of children as the refrain ‘Don’t be Silly!’ would be fun to join in with. A refreshing take on grandparents, who are often depicted as frail, both mentally and physically. Very entertaining.