We All Play
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Cree-Métis author-illustrator Julie Flett's We All Play celebrates kids' kinship with animals and connection to the natural world. The book shows kids observing animals' actions in the wild, which looks like play to them, and then exclaiming "We play too!" along with that phrase in the Cree language, "kimêtawânaw mîna." This book makes a great read aloud, with poetic couplings of words like "sneak and sniff" and "chase and chirp" that drive the action.
What's the Story?
When kids see bunnies "hide and hop," whales "swim and squirt," owls "peek and peep," bobcats "nudge and nuzzle," and more, they observe how the animals' actions in the wild look like what kids do, noting that WE ALL PLAY. And like the animals, kids, too, get tired after a long day and slowly fall asleep.
Is It Any Good?
This joyous celebration of kids' connection to animals makes a great read-aloud with catchy phrases and wonderful art to grab kids' attention. The text and illustrations in We All Play work perfectly together, with zippy action words like "rumble and roll" and "wiggle and wobble" to keep the rhythm going, and simple, stylized art that helps kids learn or recognize animals, birds, and sea creatures. Cree words sprinkled in the text and listed in a glossary of animal names underscore Indigenous peoples' inspiring connection to the natural world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the animal behavior in We All Play. Do animals ever look to you like they're playing? Do you do ever run like a dog, snuggle like a cat, or swim like a whale?
What do you think about the art in We All Play? Which picture is your favorite?
Do you feel connected to the animal world? What's your favorite animal? Why?
Book Details
- Author: Julie Flett
- Illustrator: Julie Flett
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Curiosity
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Greystone Kids
- Publication date: May 25, 2021
- Number of pages: 48
- Available on: Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated: October 27, 2022
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