Customer Reviews

Hey! Wake Up!

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love these books. My daughter loves these books. Boynton's books are cutsie-poosie for the kiddies, and they are hard to read without starting to sing.

There was one part that made me uncomfortable, though. I know this is going to sound hyper-sensitive, but it bummed me out when the narrator tells the little rabbit that he's too small for basketball. The book goes on to tell the elephant: "You're too big to use the swings, you should go do big guy things." The elephant looks despondent on the swing, like an eight-year-old with a glandular problem being teased by adults who think he's twelve. It made me a little sad. Why can't the rabbit play basketball and why can't the elephant ride a swing with the other kids? But, I know, it's just a kids book, I'm definitely missing the point, but I can't help what it made me think.

But your kid will love it. The rhythms are jaunty and fun. Enjoy.

Fun to look at, fun to chew. Not boring for Dad to read aloud even after the 140th time.

I love the concept of this book: there are so many bed time books but this is the first wake up book I have seen. I read it to my children every morning when they wake up. It's great because now we have a morning routine that includes reading as well. It is a little long for them now, but they will grow into it soon.

The pictures are great and the text is very funny as well.

Sandra Boynton has always been one of our favorites. The books are always a hit and this one is no different. She's covered going to bed now it's time to "hey! Wake up!" in this latest, 24 page board book. The book features Sandra's signature silly rhyming style accompanied by her wonderfully wacky cartooning style with bright, colorful artwork.

Her Typically silly animals awake to start a new day with a lion, Bear, Elephant and hippo in one bed and pig, cat and rabbit in another. Then its off eat breakfast, get dressed, and head outside to play. When the little Rabbit has a hard time playing basketball, he gets a big boost from the bear as the book teaches kids about helping each other out and just generally being nice. Yet another winner from Sandra!

As a teacher I use this book in morning circle time with a class of mostly non-verbal autistic preschool students, and it's hands-down the class favorite. The language of the book is so basic that we include a lot of introductory signs ("eat", "juice", "open") along with the movements, and basically move for the whole book. One of my students in particular has really had a breakthrough with this book - he makes us act it out all day! It's the first thing he's really learned to imitate, and about the first positive "fixation" he's had in class. It's wonderful.

And we love "broccoli stew - ew", too. Even my completely non-verbal, non-signing kids make an effort to get an "ew" out.

Just don't do what I did, and point out later in the day that a kid has beef stew for lunch! I tried that, got a worried look and an "ew" from a little girl, and had to spend the better part of a week convincing her to touch any part of her lunch again... oops. ("It's not broccoli!" Didn't matter to her.)

We want more Sandra Boynton!!! (By the way, my class also loves "But Not the Hippopotamus" and "Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaur".)

I give this one a 4 only because it hasn't really caught on at our house like the earlier books (One Two Three!, Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs, Horns to Toes, The Going to Bed Book, etc.). It still has the fun rhymes and Boynton humor and I think it's a cute book, maybe it just has too many words for my under 4 crowd.

I have been reading this book to my 24month old for 2 weeks. We are now woken by the first line every morning "Hey big guys open your eyes". The rthymed text makes it fun to read and the concept of big and small are included without any obvious educational slant. Even my husband does not mind joining in. It make a change to the normal nursery songs. I would highly recommend this book.

This is the second of three books I read to my infant son each morning as part of his waking routine. (Another Boynton favorite, "Snuggle Puppy," is the first book I read.) It's such a precious way to start the day by watching his eyes light up and his grin grow wider as we read through these sweet books. I especially enjoy the cute placements of "ew" in the rhyme.

There's no better way to develop a toddler's language skills than by playing around with words using rhyme and rhythym. That's exactly what Sandra Boynton uses in Hey! Wake Up, which is a tiny board story book about animals awakening and getting ready for their new day. In addition to the fun word play, the actions portrayed by the elephant, rabbit, and other animals are easy for kids to mimic, adding to the enjoyment and learning.

You can't go wrong with a Boynton book. My grandchildren love them.