Tails

Author: Matthew Van Fleet
Art Directed by: Skip Skwarck
Year: 2003
Publisher: Red Wagon Books (Harcourt, Inc.)
Pages: 20
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (Preschool)

Genre: Picture Book/Tactile Book/Movable Book

Plot: Children will learn about different animals and their tails in this movable book which includes 7 different textures to touch, a scratch-and-sniff scent, pull tabs and flaps, and more.

Comments: If you look at the back of the book, it looks like this is the ultimate educational tool. Along with the features I mentioned above, this book claims it "demonstrates opposites, actions, counting, and more." The rhyming text was minimal, but it did convey the idea of opposites. The last page included a picture of all of the animals in the book, along with labels of their names. (I was impressed when the monkey was labelled as a Tamarin). I guess I've got a long way to go as an educator. I also read this book to the same 2 1/2 year-old mentioned in the previous post, and besides touching all of the different tails, I had the most fun asking her what noises the different animals make (the monkey says "aaaaa"). I didn't even think about discussing the concept of opposites with her. Despite my personal lackings, this is a very well put-together book with bright colors that I think children would enjoy even without the tactile and movable elements. Those just make the book more fun.

Themes: Animals, Tails, Learning what makes things different

Red Flags: None

Ten Little Ladybugs

Author: Melanie Gerth
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith
Year: 2003
Publisher: Piggy Toes Press
Pages: 22
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)

Genre: Picture Book/Counting Book
Series Information: Same idea used in Good Night, Sweet Butterflies and others
Location: Anywhere in the World
Time Period: Present Day (2007)

Plot: Young children learn to count backwards as their parents read of ten little ladybugs who fly away one by one.

Comments: In most book reviews I would discuss Gerth's whimsical rhyme or the dreamlike quality of Huliska-Beith's watercolors. Both are excellent reasons to like this book, and I think they are important in keeping a young child's attention. However, I read this book to a 2 1/2 year old over the Thanksgiving break, and the part she obviously loved the most was the fact that she could actually touch each of the bumpy ladybugs that stood out of the page. She touched them over and over and over again as I counted. I guess it just goes to show that a picture book can be of the highest quality, but the child actually gets the most out of the fact that they are having a one-on-one moment with a parent or other adult. Either that, or those bumpy ladybugs are a lot of fun! :)

Themes: Counting Backwards, Ladybugs

Red Flags: None