Book review: How to Sign Animals with Terry the Monkey

Written and illustrated by Joe Jacobs
Available from Amazon
Ages: 0–10

Reviewed by Sarah, mum to Amelie (6) who is mildly deaf and wears hearing aids.

Amelie and Sarah

"How to Sign Animals with Terry the Monkey is an enjoyable and friendly introduction to British Sign Language (BSL), complete with colourful illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions. The book is a great resource for any family who would like to introduce their children to BSL.

Amelie and I have explored the book together and she took it into school to share with her class friends too. It’s an ideal tool to help educate her peers about using sign language as a form of communication and for them to enjoy learning different animal signs. I personally feel that the book would be most suited to children up to 8–10 years of age.

Terry the Monkey is very engaging and the words used throughout the book are full of energy. It’s beautifully illustrated and the instructions are very clear. The illustrations are detailed enough to allow the signs to be copied independently, without the necessity of reading.

There are a wide variety of over 50 types of animals featured in the book, including farm animals, zoo animals, pets and sea creatures. Our favourites were the unicorn and the lion!

We would definitely recommend this book. It’s obvious that the author has put a lot of thought into making sign language fun and accessible to children. There are a few more books available including How to Sign Food and How to Sign Christmas which we will be buying. They’re also available in American Sign Language."