Bus Rhymes and Playtime Reviews

I have been involved in a few author days in local libraries and schools.

It's always good to have an opportunity to talk to young readers and to share your books.

Rhyme Time

I was asked to do a Rhyme Time session in a local library where the children were under five a little young for my story books..

I used ''Daisy Daydream Bus Rhymes and Jokes' as well as a few songs I've sung in schools and on the Playbus.

The parents and children came along to join in, today there were also a few older children as their school was closed on an inservice day.

It was good to be able to encourage families to use their local library and choose books to read.

At the end of the session it made me think, perhaps it would be good to find a few bus songs to sing, the Wheels on the Bus is always popular of course and there are so many different versions. So why not make up a few of my own rhymes with a bus theme.

5 Little Buses

5 Little Ducks' is always a favourite, but why not '5 Little Buses.

I came up with a few adaptations which I tried out with the help of my grandson.

I even made a few Lego buses which I use when singing the song, and Alexander joins in with either his 'Monica' (Harmonica), or drum. - very musical.

The rhymes were put into a book together with a few poems and verses to go with the story books.

I liked the tickets from Daisy's book but couldn't find any more jokes so instead thought of a few questions to ask along the way.

The book was once again illustrated by 'Artful Doodlers' and after a few questions the book was ready for publication.

The date was set and I was ready to launch, I had a blog tour arranged once again with Rachel Gilby and Random Resources.

'Daisy Daydream Bus Rhymes and Jokes', book had never gone on tour so this would be a good introduction for the new book.

Daisy set off on her tour in August. The new book was published in September..

Book tour Reviews - What the readers thought

Hop on a bus! Where will you go today? Go on an adventure through song and rhyme with Bus Rhymes and Play Times. Feast your eyes on the illustrations, they’re all there, big, bright and bold for all to see, just to enhance the experience. Bookmarks and stages

Another lovey adventure off on the bus. Familiar rhymes with a playbus twist await in this colourful book full of fun. It was also lovely to visit David again as we have enjoyed his books previously. Perfect for sharing with little ones and encouraging rhymes and imagination. Books we’ve read and loved

This picture book of rhymes has a great sense of fun and is aimed at children aged 3 - 9 years. Young readers will love the bright illustrations and each page poses a question and gives great opportunities to encourage discussion.

Cat and Mouse say: We're going on a bus ride...! Cat and mouse reading

I had a fun and colourful time with this book, it’s bright, fun and imaginative. Great bonding experience for young people, their friends and adults. Another great book. Inspired by my PMDD

Not only is this a great book to get your children into reading but also a brilliant way to get up, dance and have some fun with your family as you make up actions to rhymes such as Jay-Jay's Island Adventure as well as using the ones from 'Five Little Ducks' but changing some of the actions to go along with the new words!!! It isn't just full of fun rhymes though but also has great little "tickets" throughout the book with fun discussion topics such as 'Where would you like to go on a bus ride?'. This would make a fantastic book to include on bookshelves in nurseries, playschool, libraries, doctors along with many other places that will keep the kids busy reading and having fun!!! Bookworm86

Bus Rhymes and Playtime includes characters from other Sue Wickstead books. If you and your child are familiar with the author’s previous offerings, you will find it a pure delight to meet up with familiar faces. The rhymes are short and snappy with a bounce-along rhythm. Within no time at all, your child will be able to join in with the words. Christian Bookaholic

My bus mad boy! He enjoyed reading this book, the questions throughout, his favourite was The Spooky Bus Ride. Scotsbookworm

Interactive prompts great for developing language skills and sparking a conversation.
We loved to have a fun dance and sing along as we flicked the pages. Seduced with literature

This book was an absolute delight! Filled with catchy verses and whimsical rhymes, this book takes readers on a fun-filled journey on a bus. From the very first page, it captivates both children and adults, sparking their imagination and transporting them to new places. The Bookish Hermit

A compilation collection that sees a selection of new rhymes and stories alongside others from a number of her other books, many of them featuring the joy of a bus ride though David's Bin Day and Bathtime Adventure along with, our personal favourite, Barty Bear, also put in appearances.

Most of all though there was The Spooky Bus Ride, which, each verse beginning with the words 'Nanny, Nanny!', saw everything from a witch, a dinosaur, a bear and a gorilla onboard a bus. Needless to say this provided hours of hilarity as the little darlings changed Nanny, Nanny! to just about every other adult they knew {Mammy, Mammy! possibly their favourite}; the older ones also substituting the things onboard the bus to any other number of other things; the oldest also the activity being done to create ever more complex rhymes. Pen and Paper

While it’s predominantly a rhyming picture book, as always Sue adds in some little extras to pique the curiosity of younger readers and to generate conversations with early readers who might be having the book shared and read aloud to them. It’s a lovely touch that these are added on bus tickets throughout the pages so provide a cute activity for little ones to spot them and see what questions are posed. Pickled thoughts and Pinot

I love the nostalgic feel of Sue Wickstead books, they are filled with little stories that keep little ones engaged. My daughter loves going through and finding the rhyming/song like stories that she can perform. Her favourite this time was the spooky bus ride and everyone had a new voice. Malloch Books

With great illustrations and fun rhymes, Great for sharing with youngsters many times. There are also bus ticket questions for them, too, Promoting discussions all the way through. Splashes into books

Such a fun book, filled with brilliant rhymes, so perfect for little ones to join in with.
Loved the bus version of five little ducks, a favourite with my little boy, and easy to add in some new moves!
Lovely illustrations throughout too, and some great topics, like the dustbin visit (which was always a highlight to my sons week!) Silky book Lover Fun

Such a fun book, filled with brilliant rhymes, so perfect for little ones to join in with.
Loved the bus version of five little ducks, a favourite with my little boy, and easy to add in some new moves!
Lovely illustrations throughout too, and some great topics, like the dustbin visit (which was always a highlight to my sons’ week!) Sisterly Serendipity

This is a lovely rhyming book for young children who will experience many hours of reading enjoyment with it. Right from the very first poem, and the stunning illustrations, this book shows itself to be one of those books every child should have read to them before moving on to read it for themselves and then for them to maybe read it to younger siblings and friends over the ensuing years. The Book Elf

I felt the layout was very child friendly allowing young ones to take in bite size chunks of text and not be too overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s not easy to get your child to sit there and read page after page, but I find it much easy to get them onboard when asking for 1 or 2 rhymes. I think the book is perfectly aimed for around the 5 – 6 age range and is super for those times you need your child to read to you. It’s also the perfect example of using your imagination and having a bit of play with words. David’s Book Blurg

I read this to my little one and it took an age because they kept interrupting to sing all the songs in the book because they learnt them at school, which I think is a brilliant recommendation for the book! It's not a very long book but it's definitely full of fun, my little one loved it and I think it works well as part of a daytime activity when you are home with little ones. One More Chapter

This is a lovely book with lots of different rhymes to enjoy and the images are wonderful! Highly recommend for little ones! As Read by Danielle

This is another absolutely beautiful book for young children. The theme is buses and 4 of them are included this time as well as Barty Bear. These are lovely rhymes and stories which I'm sure will captivate youngsters. Some of the rhymes are familiar tunes with bus related words. The Wee Bookworm

Smorgesbord Online Magazine

Thank you also to Sally Cronin for including me in her online magazine with an excert from the book as well as a review.

This is a wonderful compilation album of new rhymes and stories and reminders of some of the other many books Sue Wickstead has written for children, with buses being the main feature for most of them. There are also bears and stories about David who loves his bath and the weekly visit from the binmen. Sally Cronin

.