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So Many Sounds
By Regan McMahon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun exploration of everyday noises all around us.
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What's the Story?
SO MANY SOUNDS begins with a little boy in bed and an invitation: "Listen! Do you hear a sound? / Noises come from all around. / Soft and gentle, / Loud and clear, oh / So many sounds / To hear!" It then follows the boy through his day, from breakfast ("Pancake flops. / Bacon sizzles.") to his walk to school, to his noisy classroom, and on his field trip via school bus through the noisy streets ("Fire engine roaring past!") to a pier where a band gives a concert. After "Thunder rumbles," it starts to rain and the kids return on the bus. The boy rejoins his family and goes to bed ("Click! The switch turns off the light."). And finally: "No more noises. / Not a peep. / Everyone is / Sound asleep."
Is It Any Good?
This lively catalog of common sounds at home, school, on the street, and in nature offers a fun way for kids to think about the familiar sounds all around them. So Many Sounds is great for preschoolers who love trucks, planes, firetrucks, and police cars -- and who get excited when they hear them coming. It also helps them be aware of sounds in nature, like birds chirping and thunder rumbling. It's a great read-aloud that will keep kids engaged, and Andy J. Miller's colorful, stylized cartoon art makes it easy for kids to understand what's going on.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the sounds in So Many Sounds. Which ones do you tend to forget about because they're always there?
What are your favorite sounds? How does it make you feel when you hear a favorite sound?
Why is it time to leave when "thunder rumbles, breezes blow"? What do those sounds tell you about what's going to happen?
Book Details
- Author: Tim McCanna
- Illustrator: Andy J. Miller
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Cars and Trucks , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
- Publication date: September 4, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 2 - 5
- Number of pages: 24
- Available on: Hardback
- Last updated: May 2, 2019
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