Thank you Netgalley for this review copy
This book is delightful. So characterful and the story follows a logical route and is funny too..
My favourite character is the cat.

Lovely little story book, my 5 year old daughter very much enjoyed me reading this to her. I love Julia's books anyway, they are uplifting, lovely stories and this was did not dissapoint.

A sweet read, but unfortunately this is no Gruffalo by quite a giant jump! The characters were not as memorable and their connection to each other didn’t feel charming, just forced. There was none of the magic of many of Donaldson’s usual lovely stories.

I received a copy of this beautiful little children's book in return for my independent honest review.
What a beautifully written, beautifully illustrated book. Although it is quite simple in nature it sends a powerful message to children about' not being scared' There are a collection of animals used to create this theme which come to life on the page.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this as an adult and I'm sure you will have many a happy hour spent reading it with the children in your life. It will become a firm favourite I'm sure

Another smashing book from Julia Donaldson. I read this with my son who has loved all that came before it and he was sucked into the story straight away. Beautiful illustration which really complimented the story. Would definitely recommend!

Loved this book!! The images were just excellent and the story was brilliant too - definitely one to keep!

Fab book! One of my favourite kids' authors anyway but my six year-old really loved this one. When I saw that Oxenbury had teamed up with Donaldson, I felt sure we would be in for a treat and I was right!
One thing that DID surprise me (in a good way) was that the usual rhyming story which Donaldson is famous for, wasn't in this book. The story is told through a poetic prose and really makes for a wonderful journey through the story.

A definite thumbs up from both me and my daughter!

My little one loved this book. So much so, I had to read it twice in a row!! And then everyday since. Another spectacular read from Julia Donaldson

This is so sweet! Anything by Julia Donaldson is likely to be a hit, and this doesn't disappoint. The illustrations are beautiful and it is a story you can come back to again and again.
Highly recommended for little kids and the big kids (adults) who will probably be doing the reading x

The Giant Jumperee is an enjoyable children's book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

Within thirty-two pages, this book focuses on Rabbit and his animal friends as they are each scared away from Rabbit's burrow by a mysterious voice hidden inside. And the ending is a delightful surprise!

The Giant Jumperee is an easy-to-read picture book with adorable illustrations. It's geared toward young children, particularly ages three to five.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

As ever, Julia Donaldson has delivered another lovely story to share with young children. I read this to my children (aged 7 and 4), and both agreed it made a brilliant bedtime story. They especially liked the rhymes, and working out who the Giant Jumperee might be! Donaldson's characters are beautifully drawn by Helen Oxenbury, and the combination of story and pictures makes this a memorable book. I highly recommend it!

When author Julia Donaldson of the awesome 'Gruffalo' (among others!) fame, and Helen Oxenbury, creator of some of my favourite children's books of all time ('We're Going on a Bear Hunt' - need I say more!) team up, you know it's going to be a winner!
Throughout my own childhood, then as a primary school teacher and parent, picture books have been a staple part of my life.
'The Giant Jumperee' has all the essentials for success; repetitive language and rhyme that can be remembered and sung along too at the many re-readings; beautiful illustrations in bright colours; the delicious fear factor of the mysterious voice in the burrow; fun animal characters that all get along - and at the end a mum who isn't scared of anything(!), and a child who goes home for tea!
What delightful fantasy! Count me in!
4 out of 5 stars.

This has to be a winner with the combination of Donaldson and Oxenbury. With the magic formula of the Gruffalo, imagination is always heightened when fear strikes the animals in turn. . All Rabbit's friends are willing to help, but all are afraid. Only the small frog is brave enough to call the bluff of the Giant Jumperee, and needless to say all is resolved happily. Children will love this as much as the Gruffalo and will have great fun imagining what the Giant Jumperee looks like.

A picture book to read to the very young, but any older and they'd guess what it was all about, as I did, as soon as an unblurbed-about character arrives. Still, before then it's pleasant enough to read, and lovely illustrations pass the test with flying colours. It does seem a little on the slight side to become a classic, however.

Great title but not entirely appropriate for my classroom.

Lovely picture book.. Small cast of just 6 animals wonderfully illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

The Giant Jumperee is a beautiful picture book with a simple story supported by wonderful images of its cast of 6 animals.
The story shows animals of increasing sizes, each with characteristics its pre-school target audience will recognise, in fear of the unseen creature which is claiming to be a giant Jumperee. Like Aesop’s lion and mouse or hare and tortoise, there is a realisation that every creature, no matter what its size, has its own strengths. Also, much as in Julia Donaldson’s own Gruffalo, there is a sense that fear of the unknown can be out of proportion with what the unknown actually is!
This book doesn’t draw on Julia’s often-seen rhyming talents, but that in no way stops it from being a great read-aloud book which children will be joining in with after a few readings. And Helen Oxenbury's lovely illustrations are captivating.

I think I would recommend the Giant Jumperee to younger children, mainly under fives, because it is rather gentler and more old-fashioned than much of Donaldson's other work. I adore the Gruffalo but it is possibly a bit too exciting and scary for some toddlers. I've learnt, from experience, that it is not an ideal book to read at bedtime (especially not with the voices and everything) as it isn't particularly soothing. This book has a similar storyline to the Gruffalo - many large animals are scared by the words of a much smaller one - and, to the possible relief of storytellers everywhere, it is a much shorter story. Even with all the voices and the obligatory six repetitions, you should be able to get away with about a 15 minute bedtime routine with this one.*


*Unless the child involved wants a second story/a glass of water/needs to know where the moon comes from/to hear what that word was that Daddy said when he dropped that cake on the floor/to have a baby brother and/or puppy, now. You know the drill...

Who doesn't love Julia's books? - The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom are huge bedtime favourite for my kids and The Giant Jumperee is quickly being added to that list!

The story follows Rabbit who upon hearing a mysterious voice coming from his burrow enlists his other animal friends - Cat, Bear & Elephant, to get the Giant Jumperee out of the burrow. They are all scared of the mysterious voice in the burrow until Mrs Frog comes along and proves that there is nothing to be scared of at all.

I love the illustrations in this book and true to Julia's format the words are repetitive and engaging that kids will love this story just as much as the others she has written.

Just what you expect from Julie Donaldson, a lovely gentle engaging story with humour that young children love. My grandson loved this when we shared it and I loved it too.

I decided (No idea why! Maybe I thought I would be easy to do this. We shall see...) to put these two books together in one review! Both are picture books (which is rare for me to talk about on my blog, I know!) and both are perfect to be read by parents to their little ones and together when the child is older.

The first is The Fox Wish by Kimiko Aman and illustrated by Komako Sakai (given by the publisher), and the second is The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (given to me by the publisher via NetGalley).

In The Fox Wish, we follow a sister and brother who go back to the park to find their jump rope. Only to find a group of fox cubs playing with it and believing it to be the answer to their wish. And in The Giant Jumperee, Rabbit comes home to find a loud voice in his burrow. When his friends (Cat, Bear and Elephant) come to help, they each get scared by the loud voice. But who is the Giant Jumperee?

Both, in my opinion, are wonderful stories to read to little ones, each with a gentle charm to them.

While both do have a charm, there is something on each you need to be aware. While picture books are often glossy in their illustrations, The Fox Wish doesn't have that. It's more ink-stamped and watery in tone compared to other picture books and, with The Giant Jumperee, there were moments when reading it felt a little too close to The Gruffalo in tone (yes, I know both are written by the same author but if your child knows The Gruffalo, they might spot how similar they are. Plus, nothing Julia writes really beats the Gruffalo. Although, What the Ladybird Heard does come close...)

But barring this, both are lovely reads to read to your little ones at bedtime...