Citation: Olson, J. (2010). Tickle, tickle! itch, twitch! New York: Marshall Cavendish Children. 
Ages: 2 – 5
Grades: PreK – K
Description: Tickle, Tickle! Itch, Twitch! is the story of Gus the groundhog, who loves spending summer days lazily sitting in the shade. One day, Gus gets an itch, and it must be scratched! Little does Gus know, a mouse tickling his back with a flower caused the itch. The story follows Gus as he tries to use various objects to scratch his back, but they aren’t what they seem. Gus grabs a stick that is actually a snake and so on and so forth.
Uses: The repetitive structure of Tickle, Tickle! Itch, Twitch! makes it ideal for preschool and family storytimes. The repeating phrases allow children to get involved with the telling of the story, and to predict what will happen next. Incorporating movement with this story will require a bit more creativity from teachers and librarians. During the story, librarians/teachers can ask children to move and act like the different animals Gus encounters. They can also get participants scratch their backs and stretch, or, parents can tickle baby’s toes, fingers, etc.
Review Sources:
Tickle, Tickle! Itch, Twitch!. (2010). Kirkus Reviews, 78(19), 1003.
Van Marel, L. (2010). Tickle, Tickle! Itch, Twitch!. School Library Journal, 56(12):87.
Search Terms: animals, mice