Turkey Hurly-Burly product reviews

Turkeys are hilarious creatures at the best of times. They are the clowns of the farmyard with their funny heads and large bodies. When I was farming, I kept birds of all varieties - even bantams - and beside the sleek geese and the colourful Golden Comets, the turkeys stood out for their peculiar appearance. Nikki Slade Robinson's illustrations are wonderful caricatures of the real-life bird, right down to the distinctive caruncles and bald heads.

Miss Five was taken by the idea of having turkeys run wild at her school. She could not imagine just how chaotic it would be. Meanwhile, Mr Two was not at all keen on the idea of turkeys taking his lunchbox - especially if it contained cake! Although he is not old enough to go to school, he could relate to the idea of losing something he wanted and being knocked over in the process.

Both children were highly amused at the possibility of changing the turkeys for llamas because they have alpacas themselves. Their four (Rose, Pinot, Lotus, and Mystery) would just love to parade around the playground causing plenty of trouble in the process. In their own way they would be just as disruptive as the turkeys. Both llamas and alpacas can be quite tame, but they are big animals and used to trotting round a field rather than having to move within the confines of a schoolyard or, even worse, in a classroom!

The text is very easy to read. The rhyme scheme helped the children to remember what was coming next, and it will not be long before Miss Five can read the book herself to her little brother. There were also a couple of learning points contained within the text which were so much a part of the story that the children did not realise they were there. One was the speed at which the original tom and hen produced a family of chicks which speedily matured into jakes and jennies. Instead of the original pair, the school was now home to a flock! And like any youngsters, the young turkeys are full of energy and not very well coordinated.

Another learning point is the way that different species flock together when they are on a mission. When the sports field is invaded, every turkey is there joining the free-for-all and creating havoc. It would be an amazing sight to see as long as you are not in the way.... Altogether, this is a fun story that Miss Five and Mr Two will continue to enjoy and giggle over.