The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
A little old lady is followed by a series of objects that make increasing amounts of noise. As the sounds stack up, the child can practice performing the sequence of six sounds from memory.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams is estimated to take about 9 minutes to read aloud (722 words, about 2 sentences a page), and it lands best with children aged 3-6.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 9 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Word count
- 722Counted words
- Sentences per page
- 2Sentences per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 5/5still good at forty
- Vocabulary level
- 2/5everyday words
- Best for
- Ages 3-6Our editorial fit
Our review
This is a wonderful cumulative tale for preschool and school-age children. The rhythm of the "clomp, clomp" and "wiggle, wiggle" makes it very satisfying to read aloud.
The book is great for practicing sequencing and auditory memory. It turns the reading experience into a performance, where the child gets to "be" the noises as the story builds.
Before you buy it
The chase through the dark wood is a bit tense. A three-year-old who is already wary of the dark might need the ending explained before you begin.
Themes
- Halloween
- cumulative tale
- sound effects
- courage
- scarecrows
Books like The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything aloud?
About 9 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 722. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything actually for?
Ages 3-6 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 2 sentences a page and vocabulary at 2 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything survive being read on repeat?
Yes - this is one of the few that is still fine on the fortieth reading, which is why it scores 5 out of 5 with us.
Is The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with, and it asks the child questions to answer out loud. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 5 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 2 sentences a page and plain vocabulary (2 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
What themes does The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything cover?
We tag it with Halloween, cumulative tale, sound effects, courage and scarecrows. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
Lists The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything is on
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