Customer Reviews

Jump Rope Magic

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a book of jump rope rhymes, loosely forming a story. The illustrations are truly special. David Diaz' illustrations show boxy figures, a mixture of soft and bright colors, and some of the most hilarious faces I've ever seen in a picture book.

The streets, the trees, the people-- everything Diaz draws has a special look that you won't mistake for any one else's illustrations.

The text bounces along with a nice rhythm. Even if you are rhythm-inhibited, it's easy to find the rhythm in this book.

The text of the book resembles the speech of children, rather than the bookish speech that you sometimes see in juvenile books. Here's a sample:

"Hey, Miss Minnie,

can you come outside?

I got a new car.

Let's go for a ride.

We can put the top down.

We can blow the horn loud.

We can show the gold rims.

We can captivate the crowd."

Captivate? Not many children would use the rest of this speech and the word "captivate." The incongruity of the speech (there are more examples, and you don't have to look for them) is the only thing that mars this otherwise wonderful book.

The illustrations are inventive and distinctive, and the text has a wonderful, animated rhythm. It should be a book that children ask for over and over again.

ken32

As a poet, and as a library clerk who loves to focus her programs on poetry, I can say that this is a book I will definitely be using in my work with kids! Who in this world isn't familiar with jump rope rhymes? If you aren't - read this book. Jump some rope. Get that rhythm in your bones. There are so many books for kids that are written in rhyme, but they have no "guts", no real feel for the music of language. I am so happy to have found one that does!

My son (age 6) is a picky reader...few books totally captivate him. This one does. He loves the rhythm (and it's almost impossible not to read this story out loud without falling into the urban lilt captured in the rhyme) and he loves the subject matter. He has never jumped rope, but he seems to be able to feel the freedom and thrill of jumping through the story. This is one of the few books he has memorized entire passages of (and it's a long book that we've only had for a week). I'm sure this book will capture the imagination of every child as it has my son's. (He hasn't even seemed to notice or mind that the story is about girls.)

I recently purchased this book and highly recommend it. It is a great gift for a child, is well written, and beautifully illustrated. I intend to buy additional copies to give as gifts.