What do you think?
Rate this book
The Animal Boogie
This lively rhyme soon has young listeners frolicking around, with creatures in the Indian jungle. Children will be eager to join in and copy the animals' actions. The song has a quick pace and its catchiness allows little ones, to learn the words and get involved with the story, as they try to guess the animal that will appear on the next page. The book features children from many cultures and differently-abled children. The rhymes and music encourage children to experiment with movement. Everyone will want to get up and dance to this toe-tapping favourite!
32 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2000
10 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 23, 2010
I listened to this on CD & followed along with the book
This book is sure to become a favorite for teachers in the younger classrooms. It is a book of guessing as each page tries to have you guess what animal is going to come next. There is a huge opportunity to provide learning through music and movement with this book as it is very rhythmic (especially when listening to the CD.) I listened to this on CD as well as followed along with the book and was amazed by the catchy tune as well as the beautiful, colorful illustrations. Each page is filled with bright colors and interesting detail. This would be a great book to either begin a discussion about disabilities with young children or to just provide a book with a character who has a disability. On one page it portrays a girl in a wheel chair flapping her arms like a bird and therefore would help young children to become more understanding and sensitive to others with disabilities.
This book is sure to become a favorite for teachers in the younger classrooms. It is a book of guessing as each page tries to have you guess what animal is going to come next. There is a huge opportunity to provide learning through music and movement with this book as it is very rhythmic (especially when listening to the CD.) I listened to this on CD as well as followed along with the book and was amazed by the catchy tune as well as the beautiful, colorful illustrations. Each page is filled with bright colors and interesting detail. This would be a great book to either begin a discussion about disabilities with young children or to just provide a book with a character who has a disability. On one page it portrays a girl in a wheel chair flapping her arms like a bird and therefore would help young children to become more understanding and sensitive to others with disabilities.
July 28, 2008
Seriously, I really do not like this book. There's nothing actually wrong with it, it's just so annoying. You have to say "boogie, woogie, woogie, oogie" - or something like that a thousand times. The pictures are nice and bright (and inclusive), but the repetitive text is almost more than I can stand. And unfortunately for me, both my boys have loved this one. I'm giving it a three simply to split the difference.
September 1, 2019
Catchy song and dance to enjoy with young children as they enjoy finding out about jungle animals.
Can you make up some verses of your own?
Can you make up some verses of your own?
April 26, 2021
This book takes kids on a walk through the Indian Jungle while also introducing them to many different animals along the way. This book includes many different kids with disabilities and different jungle animals.
One thing I liked about this book is that it rhymed and had a catchy chorus. It almost seemed like a song instead of a book. This will help students remember the book.
I gave this book 5 stars. I really liked that the book focuses more on the animals than the disabilities. It still highlights the disabilities, but it is not the main focus of the book. It is refreshing because usually, if children with disabilities are in a story, the story usually revolves around the disability. However in this book, children with disabilities are featured, bringing awareness to that specific condition, but it is not the main point. This shows kids that even though they are different, they can still do things that we normally do and it is not a big deal.
One thing I liked about this book is that it rhymed and had a catchy chorus. It almost seemed like a song instead of a book. This will help students remember the book.
I gave this book 5 stars. I really liked that the book focuses more on the animals than the disabilities. It still highlights the disabilities, but it is not the main focus of the book. It is refreshing because usually, if children with disabilities are in a story, the story usually revolves around the disability. However in this book, children with disabilities are featured, bringing awareness to that specific condition, but it is not the main point. This shows kids that even though they are different, they can still do things that we normally do and it is not a big deal.
August 1, 2014
Through the jungle, the children see all different types of animals and are learning their actions, for example a child sees a leopard and learns how to leap.
I really enjoyed reading this story and rate it 5* because it is extremely active and allows children to join in by singing and dancing when the story is being told. I also enjoyed reading this story because when the story is being read to the children, clues are given before the animal is identified, such as “With a swingy swing here and a swingy swing there”. This therefore allows predictions to be made before the animal is revealed and as the animals are well known, this should be achievable. The capital letters when the animal is revealed allows the reader to differ their voice to interest the children and for them to understand this is an important part of the story.
The CD which is included with the book offers the children a different way to listen to the story. The video of this story can also be found on YouTube which again offers children a different way to watch and listen to the story which would excite children. The CD and the video therefore can support children with English as an Additional Language as they can visually see what is happening and hopefully will be able to begin to understand words in English.
This story I believe is best suited for children of a school Nursery age during the topic of ‘Animals’ because of the repetitive tune which allows children to easily learn and join in with this. I have observed an Early Years Co-ordinator use the CD of this song and allow the children to sing and dance to this independently which they particularly enjoyed. This story could also be used in whole class and key group time singing as well as in P.E. where they can learn how to move in different ways, such as the movements the animals in the story make. The song can also be modified depending on the topic or concept that is being taught to the children at a particular time.
I really enjoyed reading this story and rate it 5* because it is extremely active and allows children to join in by singing and dancing when the story is being told. I also enjoyed reading this story because when the story is being read to the children, clues are given before the animal is identified, such as “With a swingy swing here and a swingy swing there”. This therefore allows predictions to be made before the animal is revealed and as the animals are well known, this should be achievable. The capital letters when the animal is revealed allows the reader to differ their voice to interest the children and for them to understand this is an important part of the story.
The CD which is included with the book offers the children a different way to listen to the story. The video of this story can also be found on YouTube which again offers children a different way to watch and listen to the story which would excite children. The CD and the video therefore can support children with English as an Additional Language as they can visually see what is happening and hopefully will be able to begin to understand words in English.
This story I believe is best suited for children of a school Nursery age during the topic of ‘Animals’ because of the repetitive tune which allows children to easily learn and join in with this. I have observed an Early Years Co-ordinator use the CD of this song and allow the children to sing and dance to this independently which they particularly enjoyed. This story could also be used in whole class and key group time singing as well as in P.E. where they can learn how to move in different ways, such as the movements the animals in the story make. The song can also be modified depending on the topic or concept that is being taught to the children at a particular time.
July 22, 2018
Barefoot Books is a pretty remarkable children's press for many reasons related to sustainability and manufacturing standards. They also have a firm commitment to inclusive books that showcase human diversity (including visible forms of disability). The Barefoot Singalong series is particularly special.
Barefoot Books has created an animated version of each book in this series (they come on the CD, but are also online and linked below). Your child can watch these first if that kind of conditioning helps your kids to be more interested in the books (as it does mine).
This bright, colorful adaptation, set in the jungles of India, is based on the nursery song "Down in the Jungle" (sometimes called "Jungle Boogie"). It is the publisher's bestselling title, and it's easy to see why. Kids just love it.
Animal Boogie features a simple, repeating song with a great beat. Each verse there is a new jungle animal spied by a different child. That animal is performing an action, which the reader is meant to copy. This is great for working on what ABA and occupational therapists call "gross motor imitation." The book shows these actions: shake (bear), swing (monkey), stomp (elephant), flap (bird), leap (leopard), slither (snake), and sway (people).
---
I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is part of a longer post on books about singalong books: https://www.lineupthebooks.com/40-sin...
Barefoot Books has created an animated version of each book in this series (they come on the CD, but are also online and linked below). Your child can watch these first if that kind of conditioning helps your kids to be more interested in the books (as it does mine).
This bright, colorful adaptation, set in the jungles of India, is based on the nursery song "Down in the Jungle" (sometimes called "Jungle Boogie"). It is the publisher's bestselling title, and it's easy to see why. Kids just love it.
Animal Boogie features a simple, repeating song with a great beat. Each verse there is a new jungle animal spied by a different child. That animal is performing an action, which the reader is meant to copy. This is great for working on what ABA and occupational therapists call "gross motor imitation." The book shows these actions: shake (bear), swing (monkey), stomp (elephant), flap (bird), leap (leopard), slither (snake), and sway (people).
---
I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is part of a longer post on books about singalong books: https://www.lineupthebooks.com/40-sin...
October 29, 2010
This was a gift from a friend. Just got around to listening to the cd that came with it and reading the text. Oh so cute! This will be a lot of fun at storytime.
Lots of movement and movement vocabulary.
Lots of animals.
This book can be used many ways: just read and sing along with movement, set the book aside and do it again hauling out the appropriate puppets, let kids hold up appropriate puppets (perhaps on sticks - I made a quick sheet of all the animals in a black and white format so they could be colored and either backed with something to use on the home/travel flannelboards (made with 9x12 sheet of flannel on the inside of a pocket folder) that we've given out fairly regularly at storytimes or had a loop of paper taped to the back to make a fingerpuppet), make flannelboard animals to point to, OMG!, and just dance, dance, dance!
Can hardly wait to use it!
The cd has 2 versions: one with Fred Penner singing it and then next one more like a karaoke format that you do your own singing, but will animal noises backing you up. Cuuuute.
Lots of movement and movement vocabulary.
Lots of animals.
This book can be used many ways: just read and sing along with movement, set the book aside and do it again hauling out the appropriate puppets, let kids hold up appropriate puppets (perhaps on sticks - I made a quick sheet of all the animals in a black and white format so they could be colored and either backed with something to use on the home/travel flannelboards (made with 9x12 sheet of flannel on the inside of a pocket folder) that we've given out fairly regularly at storytimes or had a loop of paper taped to the back to make a fingerpuppet), make flannelboard animals to point to, OMG!, and just dance, dance, dance!
Can hardly wait to use it!
The cd has 2 versions: one with Fred Penner singing it and then next one more like a karaoke format that you do your own singing, but will animal noises backing you up. Cuuuute.
July 7, 2013
This used to be one of my favorite books to read for story time when I worked at the public library. The silly song appealed to preschool-age and school-age kids. I checked this book out from the library for my son when he was about eleven months old. I thought he would enjoy the playful, colorful illustrations. He did. However, I completely underestimated how much he would enjoy the silly song about the jungle animals. I had to read (sing) this book at least once a day every day for the three weeks we had it checked out. So I bought him his own copy. And he still loves the silly song and colorful illustrations, although, thankfully, I don't have to read the book every day anymore.
I would recommend buying this book in hard cover to hold up to many, many readings, and also buying the version with the CD -- especially if you are not especially skilled at reading music and carrying a tune. Also, after about the third time singing through the book in one day, your voice may appreciate a rest.
I would recommend buying this book in hard cover to hold up to many, many readings, and also buying the version with the CD -- especially if you are not especially skilled at reading music and carrying a tune. Also, after about the third time singing through the book in one day, your voice may appreciate a rest.
March 25, 2010
This book is full of wonderful colored pictures that keeps my daughters attention. She just loves to dance along with music on the sing along CD. The CD features Children's singer Fred Penner.
Althou I thought I would go mad, I think I heard and sung Boogie, woogie, oogie a thousand times still my daughter dances every time she hears it. This book does get her involved and gets her moving. I really like that in a book. This will be a book she can pick up and enjoy time after time.
I like that the book is geared to every child. The pictures in this book makes you aware that there are children in wheel chairs that can enjoy dancing, adventure and other things just as much as children that are not in wheel chairs. You don't see that very offten in books they usally picture children that can walk and dance and run. I am happy to see that this book shows children in all kinds of areas.
Althou I thought I would go mad, I think I heard and sung Boogie, woogie, oogie a thousand times still my daughter dances every time she hears it. This book does get her involved and gets her moving. I really like that in a book. This will be a book she can pick up and enjoy time after time.
I like that the book is geared to every child. The pictures in this book makes you aware that there are children in wheel chairs that can enjoy dancing, adventure and other things just as much as children that are not in wheel chairs. You don't see that very offten in books they usally picture children that can walk and dance and run. I am happy to see that this book shows children in all kinds of areas.
October 5, 2011
I very much love reading this book because it is a great sing along book, the book uses alot of repettion of the sentence 'down in the jungle' after which different animals are introduced. As you turn each page the guessing games begins. This book lets the children, adults, everyone get involved, even children who have english as an additional language can quickly pick up words due to the repettion of the sentences and the funky tune that plays along with the story.
children can have as much or little participation with this book, from dancing, singing along, or just taking a guess at which animal is being described. It is also a fun way for the children to learn thier verbs ie- slither like a snake, or stomp like an elephant.
children can have as much or little participation with this book, from dancing, singing along, or just taking a guess at which animal is being described. It is also a fun way for the children to learn thier verbs ie- slither like a snake, or stomp like an elephant.
Read
August 28, 2012'The Animal Boogie'is a beautifully illustrated book aimed for 3-7 year olds. This book is about the animals that live in the jungle environment and the different movements they make. On every other page the children have to guess which animal is coming next using the illustrated clue and the movement given.
The use of repetition and Onomatopoeic words to describe the movement of the jungle animals make it easy for the children to remember the words and enjoy singing and dancing along to.
From this book the children can learn about the movements of different animals and different envirmonments in which different living things live. This book will help them to develop their imagination to act like different animals and imagine what it would be like to live in a jungle.
The use of repetition and Onomatopoeic words to describe the movement of the jungle animals make it easy for the children to remember the words and enjoy singing and dancing along to.
From this book the children can learn about the movements of different animals and different envirmonments in which different living things live. This book will help them to develop their imagination to act like different animals and imagine what it would be like to live in a jungle.
January 31, 2012
My four-year-old son really has enjoyed this book for a few years now:) It is a fun and upbeat way to incorporate short rhyming riddles about animals. It also builds more background knowledge about how animals live and move in the jungle. It provides an easy opportunity to get in some rhyming practice because the riddles and picture clues allow my son to fill in the missing words. This makes it fun and interactive. Especially because it includes a catchy tune that repeats over and over! Some books come with a CD to sing along with, but my son actually prefers we sing it together:) Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for some interactive reading fun!
August 16, 2018
This lively story, with music, a song, and a dance, will delight young readers who will swing along with the creatures of the Indian jungle. Parents might even find themselves persuaded to join their children as they shake, swing, flap, and slither to the sound of the animal boogie.
Charming illustrations complement the rhyming narrative; an accompanying audio CD includes the animal boogie song sung by children’s singer Fred Penner. Children can read the book, listen to the song, sing along and/or dance along to the music on the CD. Whatever they choose, they’ll have a roaring good time.
Highly recommended.
Charming illustrations complement the rhyming narrative; an accompanying audio CD includes the animal boogie song sung by children’s singer Fred Penner. Children can read the book, listen to the song, sing along and/or dance along to the music on the CD. Whatever they choose, they’ll have a roaring good time.
Highly recommended.
July 24, 2008
I already know this one by heart. June's first words in the morning are "Jungle Boogie, Mommy! Jungle Boogie!" This means I have to either entertain her by putting on the Jungle Boogie song so we can dance along or sing/read the book to her 3 or 4 times. Or...distract her some other way. It's a great book. I'm glad she loves it. As always, Barefoot has done a great job selecting fabulous art and engaging story for this one!
You can buy Barefoot Books at:
http://hopegrowers.mybarefootbooks.com
You can buy Barefoot Books at:
http://hopegrowers.mybarefootbooks.com
July 11, 2012
This story is full of color, animals, and boogie-inducing fun! It also rhymes and has repetition. I used this story as the final story for a dance/exercise-themed bilingual story time program. I had the kids name the animals and do the motions. I didn't realize it came with a CD until later, so I will be sure to use it the next time I use this story.
(I used Cathy Fink's Hula Hoop song from her Bon Appetit! album as the goodbye song for this story time program. If you haven't heard it, check it out.)
(I used Cathy Fink's Hula Hoop song from her Bon Appetit! album as the goodbye song for this story time program. If you haven't heard it, check it out.)
March 7, 2015
Another great book from The Barefoot Book collection. This is great for teachers in the Early Years. As we travel through the jungle, we are able to guess, page-by-page, what animal is going to come next. There are great opportunities to implement cross-curricular lessons including on PE, English, Drama, Music and Art. It is rhythmic and comes with an accompanying CD.
The accompanying CD is great for early readers and we have been using this series of books to introduce reciprocal reading to the nursery class at school.
The accompanying CD is great for early readers and we have been using this series of books to introduce reciprocal reading to the nursery class at school.
February 2, 2018
The book centres around different animals being discovered in the jungle - prior to them being discovered, you are able to see parts of them which enables the children to guess what animal it could be. Once animals are shown, it provides a series of repetition through the book which actually features as a song.
The beautiful illustration, detailing and colours make children able to focus on the book and be interested in what is happening.
The beautiful illustration, detailing and colours make children able to focus on the book and be interested in what is happening.
February 2, 2018
When working in the nursery this book was the favourite for children from 1-4 year olds. I listened to it with the CD and it was great! Children loved the way it had colourful images of all animals and the different sounds animals made, which children also improvised which makes children passionate about reading. It also helps the reader getting childrens eyes on books. Also, whats so great is the different rhythmic sounds in the book.
February 19, 2019
This book was great I loved it. The book talked about different animals that had different movement such as the snack shaking and a bird flapping its wings. The book also featured children from different cultures and that had intellectual disabilities. The animal boogie would be a great lesson to teach children to be more understanding towards others and people that have disabilities.
December 2, 2020
Awards: N/A
Grade level(s): Pre-k-2nd Grade
Summary: Song about all the different animals in the jungle.
Review: I think this is such a catchy song book that children will love and be able to sing and dance to.
In-class uses: Get class to move their bodies and dance, learn about different animals in the jungle, phonics, rhyming.
Grade level(s): Pre-k-2nd Grade
Summary: Song about all the different animals in the jungle.
Review: I think this is such a catchy song book that children will love and be able to sing and dance to.
In-class uses: Get class to move their bodies and dance, learn about different animals in the jungle, phonics, rhyming.
May 4, 2018
A fun, physically engaging book that you can sing. Allie loves the bright illustrations and dances along as we tour the jungle and meet all the animals. A nice touch is the kid in a wheelchair...nice to see a simple, inclusive effort being made by the illustrator.
April 6, 2019
Great book for talking about animals, and even likes and differences. Kids can imitate how the animals move... Great for when the class just can't sit still.
April 15, 2019
I loved the diversity represented in this book! This is a lovely book packed with animal, rhymes, and silly movements. Children can imitate their favorite animals in some silly dance moves.
April 3, 2020
A book that encourages movement along with animals who are slithering, leaping and stomping. I love how a child using a wheelchair is also featured alongside the bird. A great toddler read.
May 19, 2020
Not my favorite animals book or movement book, but it keeps my kids' attention. The inclusivity is good.
August 19, 2020
Heard this in another classroom when subbing and fell in love with it! It has fun motions to go along with the story - even better with the CD with music! Such a perfect book for wiggly twos!
June 24, 2025
If I could give *Animal Boogie* more than five stars, I absolutely would. It’s truly one of my favorite books to share with my students. I’ve read it so many times that I can recite it from memory—I don't even need to look at the pages anymore; I just sing the song. The children absolutely love it and enjoy guessing which animal will come next. They have a great time singing along and getting up to do a little boogie.
I highly recommend this delightful book!
💎💎💎💎💎
I highly recommend this delightful book!
💎💎💎💎💎
December 18, 2022
Such a fun book! A great song and dance to find animals. Love that it’s a watch and sing along type book, very engaging. Kids hum or sing it at random - so cute to see it stick with them. (It was read on the 8th of this month and for some reason been asked for it a lot lately, though we’ve had it for months and read/watch it off and on.) Highly recommend.
August 4, 2025
Copyright date: 2000
Star rating: 3
Award: N/A
Genre: picture book
Summary w/ themes: This book uses repetition and rhyme occasionally to talk about how the different animals move.
Use for future classroom: could be put in my library
Thoughts of book: I thought this was a relatively easy book.
Star rating: 3
Award: N/A
Genre: picture book
Summary w/ themes: This book uses repetition and rhyme occasionally to talk about how the different animals move.
Use for future classroom: could be put in my library
Thoughts of book: I thought this was a relatively easy book.
November 8, 2022
Boogie Woogie Oogie
This book is based on animals in the jungle and the different activities they do.
The book follows a lovely rhythm and can either be read or sung. You even have the possibility of adding actions with a class or group of children.
This book is based on animals in the jungle and the different activities they do.
The book follows a lovely rhythm and can either be read or sung. You even have the possibility of adding actions with a class or group of children.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews