Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme focuses on counting and rainforest animals. It’s geared toward the under-8 crowd, but thanks to the beautiful illustrations by Jeanette Canyon, I stayed riveted throughout the whole thing. Magnificent pictures of Canyon’s bright polymer clay relief sculptures make the book fun to read and look at for you and the kids. The best part about Over in the Jungle is the activity section in the back. Oftentimes, children’s books end with the story, but this one provides additional information about the rainforest and the animals that live there, and provides activities to do with children after reading the book. Vivid and bright, the book conveys an appreciation for nature, and offers information about rainforests in a delightful and fun way that can be sung to the tune “Over in the Meadow,” for which the music is also provided. A former teacher and children’s librarian, Marianne Berkes knows how to capture the little ones’ attentions and teach them at the same time.