Synopsis: 'Eddy's off to find his teddy. Eddy's teddy's name is Freddy.He lost him in the wood somewhere. It's dark and horrible in there'. Based on the bestselling picture books Where’s My Teddy?, It’s the Bear and My Friend Bear,  this listen and join in CD provides fully dramatized readings, songs and story-based activities for young listeners to enjoy again and again.

Review: This “listen and join in CD” is based on Jez Alborough’s popular stories about Eddy and his bear, Freddy.

In Where’s My Teddy? poor Eddy finds himself alone in the dark woods as he looks for Freddy. It’s scary and horrible and Eddy is in for a gigantic surprise. Eddy doesn’t want to go into the woods for a picnic with mum in It’s The Bear. He’s frightened of the huge bear he knows lives there, but in My Friend Bear Eddy finds that even big scary bears can make good friends.

Performer John Thomson reads the stories at just the right pace, using an entertaining variety of voices. The excellent background music, composed by Barry Gibson sets the right tone – deliciously scary without being too frightening for little ones. But there is much more to this CD than stories. There are three jolly songs, one of which, "A Wiggle Jiggle Giggle", invites children to join in with the actions, while "There’s a Friend" is very catchy and picks up the background music from My Friend Bear. Two games "Big Small Wide Tall" and "1, 2, 3, Boo!" are fun, and easy to play.

This is a pleasing CD, which offers plenty for parents and young children to share and enjoy together.

2007-01-27