Zachery Black went yackety-yak
as he entered the world like a shot.
"Greetings!" he called.
"Nice meeting you all...
need a bath and a feed on the spot!

Zachary Black just won’t shut up! From the moment he was born he was yakking non-stop. At first his parents are proud of their son, but with time they tire of the constant noise. A trip to the doctor and a cure is found.

A rhyme and rhythm tongue twister that is a joy to read aloud.

Watch the book trailer

The Story Behind the Book

My now-adult son was a chatterbox. We joke that when he was a toddler we worried he was never going to start talking, but once he began, he has never stopped! (In the nicest possible way.) So, I guess the idea of Yackety Zac grew from that concept.

There is a lesson behind the nonsense of the story, however. This is the importance of being aware of your words and what you say, and of listening to others. That is what leads to a decent two-way conversation and communication.

As it says in the book -
Zac learned to choose
the right words to use
and to listen to what others say.
At last there was peace,
the yackety ceased.
(Plus his ears never did blow away!)

Tips - How to be a good listener

Reviews

I had the pleasure of seeing this story at its very beginning. Chris Gurney and I belong to the same local writers' group. We share our work, give each other feedback and encouragement. We were delighted when she told us One Tree House was publishing this book. Even better that Ross Kinnaird was illustrating it.... read more
KidsBooksNZ

When Booksellers sent out an email recently with a photograph of children’s books to be reviewed, and an instruction to ‘choose 3’, it was a classic case of judging a book by the cover – or title, in this case. The title and cover illustration Yackety Zac pretty much tells you everything you are going to need to know about this book, and I HAD to have it.... read more
The Reader

Yackety Zac is a great read aloud for young children as the rhyme just flows throughout this book. This title is a great way to make children aware of their own words, how to have a two-way conversation, and the importance of listening to others more than you speak. The messages of 'listening to others' and 'choosing the right words' will create amazing conversations for families and classrooms around the importance of speaking and listening. ... read more
NZ Book Council

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