This book is pretty near perfect, both for children just starting to learn to read, and older ones too. Using the setting of a walk to the park and to the zoo, creates familiar situations for young children. The text is easy to read, and the repetition aids fluency. It is enhanced by the illustrations, which are as humorous and quirky as the story itself. It is very, very funny. This book is about three skeletons, the big skeleton, the little skeleton and the dog skeleton. They all lived on a dark dark hill, in a dark dark house.

It is 1953, and in Oldbury Town there is to be a football competition. Rood End Primary enters its two best teams, but there are a few others who want to make their mark too. What do you think? They had a lot of fun, but one picture shows the three skeletons running away from a skeleton of a crocodile ... It is a particularly dark, dark night tonight, and Big and Little keep bumping into each other, making them fall to pieces, and there is only one thing to do: send in Dr. Bones, who does a great job of patching them up to stop them from bumping in the night.In the first book of this now classic series, we are taken down the dark, dark street to the dark, dark house and into the dark, dark cellar in which the skeletons live. During the remainder of their adventure, they take a trip to the zoo and continue to hunt for some people to scare. As the night draws on, they come to the conclusion that everyone’s in bed so they decide to scare one another! Funnybones: Skeleton Crew - "Zzz!" The three skeletons enjoy a holiday on their little boat. But what happens when a PIRATE comes aboard? Dog is having his favourite dream, the one about a big, juicy bone. After Dog wakes up from his favourite dream he chases after other animals that have got the big, juicy bone including Cat.

This iconic children's picture book series about skeletons includes a trip to the pet shop, dinosaur dreams and many more. A wonderful collection, perfect for early readers! Neat book with lots of repetition, onomatopoeia, dialogue, and opportunities to discuss expression and tone. Are the children scared when they hear the story? Why? Why not? Are the illustrations scary? Why? Why not? Would they want to meet the skeletons? Why? Why not?

The Funnybones books are a must for children just starting to learn to read - these funny skeletons are definitely not the scary sort! The husband and wife team, Allan and Janet Ahlberg, have produced numerous picture books. Allan Ahlberg has over a hundred to his name, and Janet Ahlberg has illustrated many of them. Funnybones is one of the best, and as so often, it is a simple idea which is the key. Funnybones, is a fantastic children’s story book which is still used in literacy sessions in the classroom. It’s a perfect book for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and into the earlier years of Key Stage One. During placement within the EYFS the children have a literacy carpet session every day which consists of one core book a week. Currently, the nursery class I’m working with have been reading the Funnybones book. The class teacher reads the story aloud to the children and then uses a range of techniques to assess their learning. The vast majority of the children are able to join in with the repetitive refrains which are used throughout the book, for example, ‘on a dark, dark hill, there was a dark, dark town. In the dark, dark town, there was a dark, dark street’ etc. Both the teacher and the children additionally use actions in particular sections of the story. These are used for the characters, big skeleton, little skeleton, dog skeleton, and objects such as the swings etc. It’s a technique which includes the children in the story telling process and further encourages them to remain engaged throughout the carpet session. Allan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created many award-winning children's picture books.