On my way to the bath by Sarah Maizes

Ill. by Michael Paraskevas. Bloomsbury, 2012. ISBN 9781408825884.
(Ages: 6+) Recommended. Picture book. Humour. What a treat, Mum calls for Livi to come and have her bath, but Livi has too many other things to do between her toy strewn bedroom and the bathroom. There are statues to build, somersaults to practice, music to dance to, her guinea pigs to talk to, a jungle to explore while all the time mum's voice is becoming more insistent, as her speech bubble gets bigger and bigger, using all the words that many children hear over and over again. The repetition of the opening phrase on each page, 'On my way to the bath', will encourage children to join in, and the story of all the things which occupy Livi's attention will be familiar.
The illustrations, in bright, bold colours will delight younger readers as they spy all the things included on the page. Livi's cute face smiles out from the front cover inviting children to open the book, and her antics will ensure that they will read to the end. The interaction with her family is lovely, underlined by the drawings of the baby and sister, and long suffering mother, while the images of the adventures she has on the way to the bath will encourage interest and discussion.
Fran Knight