There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie (Picture Kelpies)

I've been ordering kids' books written in Scots to help me learn the language. (I read them along with an English/Scots dictionary.) This book was fun. There is also a Scots language version of the first Harry Potter book that I'm reading; however, the reading level is quite a bit higher than this book, which I'm guessing is written at about a first-grade level.

I bought this book for my grandchildren. They all know the rhyme “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly”, and as their grandfather is part Scottish, I thought this book might be a good way to share their Scottish heritage with them. The book didn’t disappoint. The wee lassie swallows all kinds of Scottish animals and birds, and unlike the old lady, the wee lassie gets a happy ending. It’s a fun read and the illustrations are beautiful. I liked how the wee lassie’s stomach was made to look like a house as well—such a clever idea. While the book doesn’t set out to teach Scottish vocabulary, my grandchildren now know what lassies, midgies, and lochs are, and it has definitely made them curious about Scotland. I’d recommend it for most children from 3-7 years, regardless of whether or not they have an interest in Scotland.

There Was a Wee Lassie is sure to bring a smile to children's faces as they memorize and repeat this Scottish version of a familiar favorite. Tension builds as the lassie swallows one animal after the other--all Scottish ones, of course. Meanwhile the right-hand spreads show the lassie's interior plumbing -- with strange antics going on inside that will delight young readers. Then the lassie reaches the Nessie. But can the Loch Ness Monster solve the problem? Read this delightful rhyme to find out.

We purchased this as a gift for a little friend of the family who happens to be of Scottish decent. They loved the book and we do too. I have to admit, it is even better when read with an authentic Scottish accent.

There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie is perfect for story time read-a-louds. The fun, rhythmic text is complimented by bright, clean illustrations. A huge fold-out picture carries the humorous punchline. Although softcover, it is surprisingly sturdy with crisp heavyweight pages and adorable front endpapers. I highly recommend this delightful picture book.

Purchased this book for my three-year-old daughter and she’s in love! The little girl “looks just like me!” A well written story.

I love this book and put my best Scottish accent when I read it to my son. Bit of a tongue twister but it's an awesome read.

Very funny book that is a delight to read. However, the quality of the book itself could be upgraded. I don't feel like this book is going to last very long.

A great book for 4/5 Year old.

I bought this for my great niece. Not only does she love it but all the adults liked it too!!

Vous aimez l'écosse , vous détestez ces petits insectes qui peuvent gâcher votre soirée ? Et bien voilà, un livre qui vous amusera ! Sous forme de comptine, une petite fille avale un de ces petits insectes qui lui même est avalé par.... La comptine est une suite de mots qui coulent, rebondissent et repartent dans une ronde effrénée. Chaque illustration propose de suivre le parcours de l'insecte... un vrai labyrinthe d'aventures et de rencontres. Votre enfants pourra s'amuser des heures, seul à faire vivre des aventures sans fin à cette petite bête... Un bel achat ! :)

What a brilliant book! My Dad used to sing me the original version when I was small so I have always had a soft spot for it and, living close to the sea, I was delighted when I found 'There was an old lady who swallowed the sea' when my own child was very small, so we enjoyed both of those versions. Having been up to Scotland this summer My son and I were very excited to find this book. It is a perfect Scotland memento featuring just about all the 'wildlife' you might expect: seal, Scottie dog, puffin, the Loch Ness monster...even a haggis. My son also enjoyed saying 'wee' for small while we were away so this really is perfect. It is a joy to read and the illustrations are great too - quite different from the other two versions - and very clever (more like a household plumbing system diagram!). What a brilliant book!

Such fun!