Ten fat sausages by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Tor Freeman

Like many other librarians, I'm scrambling to find stories that translate well to a virtual environment and this fun new take on an old action rhyme is perfect for storytime - and all-ages virtual read-alouds!

The endpages feature the original rhyme, "Ten fat sausages, sizzling in a pan. One went POP and the other went BANG." When it gets down to six, the story begins... turn past the endpapers, with squares showing various kitchen utensils and ingredients, and meet the sausages! With cartoon faces, the links are sizzling away in the pan and one goes POP and the other goes... "Hang on a minute!" In brisk rhymes, each "bang" pair of the sausage hops off to try to end their story a little differently. Alas, one goes down the drain, another is crushed in a blender, a third is eaten by the cat, and so forth, until the last two sausages hatch a clever plan to escape and find their freedom... or do they?

The deliciously macabre humor, goofy expressions on the sausages' faces, and the final punch line make this one that older kids and adults will giggle over, while their younger children and siblings bounce along with the rhythm.

Verdict: A must-have addition to your storytime collection.

ISBN: 9781524793296; Published April 2020 by Penguin Workshop; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library