| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that the merry -- and minimal -- rhyming text gives these words the utmost read-alone appeal. The simplicity and verve encourage participation during a read-aloud, while the artwork jovially depicts the words.
Dr. Seuss delivers a jolly rhymed handful of words, aimed at the very youngest of readers, with real oompah-pah. Illustrator Quentin Blake takes a few nutty cues from the doctor, but mostly it's his own show of highly communicative, sweet-natured watercolor-and-pen drawings.
Seuss knew what he was doing when he hit on the idea of introducing a mere thimbleful of words to the beginningest of readers. The tone and the challenge are inviting, and Blake effectively translates the words into action. Seuss conveys not just the pleasure of word slinging but also the very joy of being alive. Rarely do exclamation marks get used with such obvious perfection. The book is as merry as a cricket, and contagious.
The fun in reading this book is complemented by the sense of accomplishment young readers get when they finish the last page, often heading right back to the start for another helping. That's what they say about good poetry, and here it's clearly a sign of something special.
Families can talk about the fun language in this book. Which words or phrases are most fun to say out loud? Which words rhyme?
| Author: | Dr. Seuss |
| Illustrator: | Quentin Blake |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | For Beginning Readers |
| Publisher: | Random House |
| Publication date: | January 1, 1974 |
| Number of pages: | 28 |
| Paperback price: | $8.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
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