Mr McGee by Pamela Allen

The wonderful Mr McGee is nearly forty years old, first published in December, 1987 and the first of a series of eight books starring the eponymous McGee. Each is hilarious, prompting loads of laughter from the audience as they watch his antics, told with wonderfully descriptive language and filled with beautiful illustrations.

He lives under a tree, more conventional houses can be seen in the background. After he wakes he gets dressed, remembering to feed the cat and collect his hat along the way. The clever, brave Mr McGee is now ready to face the day. Told in verse form, kids will love predicting the rhyming words, and after hearing it a few times will be able to read along with the reader calling out familiar lines that they like.  Who could resist yelling out,

‘I’m brave and I’m clever, I’M MR MCGEE.’

Over the page he finds an apple, and peels it carefully, eating it with glee. He finds that he becomes airborne. Up and up he goes, through the branches of the tree until he flies over the town nearby. He calls out, ‘LOOK AT ME!’ to the populace. As a bird flies by it spies Mr MrGee as good for lunch and begins to peck at him. Mr McGee deflates, and falls back to earth, through the branches of the tree and onto his bed, landing on his head. Just where he started from.

Reading out loud is a treat as the delicious words roll off the tongue, each line ending with a rhyming word to the delight of the audience. And there is an array of detail for little fingers to point out. Mr McGee will enchant everyone.

Themes: Humour, Mr McGee.

Fran Knight