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One Boy
- By Laura Vaccaro Seeger
- Genre: Picture Book
Common Sense Media says
Counting and wordplay, with eye-catching color, and fun!
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that nearly every book Laura Vaccaro Seeger has written, this one included, has received numerous awards. This book has been named the Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, 2008, ALA Book Links "Lasting Connections of 2008", A New York Public Library Best Book for Giving and Sharing, 2008, and Booklist Editors' Choice, 2008.
What's the story?
One boy sits alone in the beginning, starting off this book that not only counts from 1 to 10 but also uses a die-cut opening to show how one word is imbedded in another. As readers turn the pages, they will see "one" become "alone," "seals" turn to "sea," "apes" to "escape," and up to 10 "ants" in your "pants." The boy is still around in the end, walking off and leaving behind the paintings he has made, each of which was a page in the book.
Is it any good?
From the dye-cut red cover to the final page, ONE BOY captures the mind and the eye, making it a great choice for kids beginning to count as well as those learning to read. The colors are playfully bright, the text (and font it is printed in) is simple, and the use of the die-cut opening is a clever way to introduce the more complicated idea of words within words. On top of all that, this is also the story of one boy, his imagination, and his paintings. Even with its final "ants in the pants" scenario that could make some readers squeamish, this is a very friendly, comfortable, beautiful book, and one worthy of the awards it has already received.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the number and word presented on each page and then try to guess what the next word will be. How does "one" become "alone" and what makes that just the right word to follow? How about "seals" at the "sea" and so on? Parents and older kids may want to continue this game, and have fun finding words imbedded in words on their own. Younger kids might use this book simply as a counting book.
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| Author: | Laura Vaccaro Seeger |
| Illustrator: | Laura Vaccaro Seeger |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Picture Book |
| Publisher: | Roaring Brook Press |
| Publication date: | September 2, 2008 |
| Number of pages: | 48 |
| Hardcover price: | $14.95 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 2 - 6 |
| Read aloud: | 2 |
| Read alone: | 5 |
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