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Edutaining Kids
.COM
Parents' Guide to Children's Products for Fun & Learning
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Edutaining Kids
.COM
Parents' Guide to Children's Products for Fun & Learning
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One
of the best early counting books ever, One Duck Stuck! (written
by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Jane Chapman) has
perfect rhythm, gorgeous illustrations, and the most rhymes
around. It all begins when one duck gets stuck in the muck,
and a host of animals arrive to help the duck out of his muddy
predicament. Two fish, three moose, four crickets...all the way up
to ten dragonflies try to help, but "no luck...still
stuck". In the end, they all chip in and get the duck out
with a satisfying "spluck". The adjectives and
sound effects in this book are just as colorful as the rich
illustrations. As well, each newly introduced numeral is large and
clearly presented, making this delightful story a super
educational experience. It's hard to find a better early counting
and rhyming picture book for the very young.
poems
with the added fun of illustrations by Chris Raschka for each.
Some of the poems take on the
overall shape of the subject, such as the one entitled Eskimo
Pie, which is shaped like the ice cream treat, and Swan and
Shadow, with its text taking the form of a swan and its
reflection in the water. Our favorite is one called Tennis
Anyone? that requires the reader to move their head from one
page to the next--back and forth--with the effect similar to that
of watching a tennis game. Very clever! In another poem, entitled A
Weak Poem, the lines droop to express the poem's overall
weakness (from eating too much junk food and going to bed too
late). This highly original
collection of visual poems will delight readers from approximately
ages 8 and up. The book may inspire them to create their own--it
seems to me that concrete poems may come more naturally to kids
than to adults. The book is fun to share with kids--it can be
revealing and stimulating to discuss the meaning behind each poem.
Be aware that many kids younger than 8 may not grasp the whole
concept. 
Carlo Likes
Counting (written and illustrated by Jessica Spanyol) features
exceptionally fresh and appealing illustrations that support the
simple text. Each spread invites kids to count various sets of
objects (such as 8 mice, 8 legs on an octopus, and so forth, on the
eight spread) along with Carlo the Giraffe. Although there is
certainly no shortage of counting books available, this one's illustrations
make it
Another counting book, 1 2 3 Follow Me (written and
illustrated by Philippe Dupasquier), features no text save for a
couple of "sound effect" words. Through the graduated
pages of this board book, children follow a chick and a succession
of animals that chase the little bird with delight. A surprise
ending features a mouse who scares away the entire clan. This book
is simple but effective. 
We've heard of
Monday blues, but Sunday blues?! Steve is dreading Monday so much
that his Sunday is tough to handle in The Sunday Blues: A
book for schoolchildren, schoolteachers, and anybody else who
dreads Monday mornings (written and illustrated by Neal Layton).
Of course, in the end, school doesn't seem so bad.
For slightly
older readers, Under the Moon & Over the Sea: A Collection
of Caribbean Poems (edited by John Agard and Grace Nichols)
presents poems from over 30 different poets and gorgeous
illustrations that effectively capture the Caribbean experience. A
treasure! 
Presenting a
wonderful way for children to enjoy Charles Dickens' work without
fuss, Charles Dickens and Friends (written by Marcia
Williams) features five retellings of classic Dickens: Great
Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol,
David Copperfield,
and A Tale of Two Cities. The stories are retold through simple
text and illustrations with "bubbled" dialogue. (For
ages 9-13)
The
patriotic poem is explained for children to understand in this new
book, I Pledge Allegiance (written by Bill Martin Jr. and
Michael Sampson and illustrated by Chris Raschka). The pledge is
printed in large text, and smaller words explain both the
vocabulary and the meanings. Vocabulary words (such as pledge,
allegiance, and indivisible) are defined, and the
meaning of the pledge itself is explained and personalized. 
