The Topp Twins have added another country classic to their collection, and this one features a truck on the way to the beach.
Based on that ear-worm The Wheels on the Bus, the twins retelling sees two keen anglers - who look suspiciously similar to a certain pair of Dames - vrooming, screeching and beeping their way down the road.
Accompanied by their three dogs, and a pair of fishing rods, the story is a Kiwi-as retelling of a classic tale.
Illustrator Jenny Cooper is onboard the roadie to the beach, lending her instantly recognisable artistic talent to the book. Her characters are always full of emotion and charm. Cooper's dogs are wonderful caricatures, with floppy ears, dangling tongues and puppy-dog eyes to delight animal lovers. This is her eight collaboration with the Topp Twins, as they remaster and remake some classic children's songs.
The book comes with a CD which is slightly frustrating. So many laptops and computers come with no CD drive these days, as the technology becomes more obsolete. It's even more frustrating when the song isn't on the likes of streaming services. A quick search of Spotify shows The Topp Twins top song is Do Your Ears Hang Low (another of their collaborations with Cooper). It's had 20,000 more streams than their next song, Untouchable Girls, which shows just how in demand streaming is. I hope The Wheels on the Truck eventually makes it onto a more accessible platform. That said, if you do have access to a CD player, the CD also includes an instrumental version so you can have fun making up your own song.
The Wheels on the Truck is another fun, enthusiastic and energetic offering from New Zealand's national treasures.
Reviewed by: Rebekah Lyell
Scholastic, RRP $21.99