Amazon.com Review
If
Ready...Set...Read! were a movie, it would surely be a box-office hit with its all-star cast, including Little Bear, Morris the Moose, and Frog and Toad. This rich treasury of children's favorite stories, as well as poems, riddles, tongue-twisters, and hidden picture games, will delight and inspire every beginning reader. There's something for everyone in this diverse collection: Have a young poet in the house? How about a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks or Robert Louis Stevenson? Let the budding scientist discover "Our Earth in Space." The amateur comedian might pick up a few tips from the knock-knock jokes and riddles. And be prepared to untie some messy knots after the tongue-twister section: "Wendy went to rent one red room."
Ready...Set...Read! is a perfect introduction to many well-loved authors and illustrators, including Maurice Sendak, Else Holmelund Minarik, and Russell Hoban. Most importantly, this all-in-one collection, with its easy-to-read type, simple vocabulary, and variety of lively and colorful illustrations, will provide a jump-start to reading that will soon have children racing to the bookshelf for more.
From School Library Journal
A dynamite anthology for emerging readers that features stories, poems, and a section called "fun and games." The stories include selections from favorite easy readers by Dr. Seuss, Else Homelund Minarik, Arnold Lobel, Joanna Cole, and Bernard Wiseman. The poetry section is predominantly humorous and includes Calmenson's "Giggle Poem" and Russell Hoban's "Soft-Boiled Egg" from Bread and Jam for Frances (Harper, 1964). Anne Burgess' illustrations for the poems are fresh but muted watercolors with a comic element. The "fun and games" include a generous variety of riddles, rebus stories, tongue-twisters, silly rhymes, and hidden pictures. Demarest illustrates these with watercolors splashed with vibrant color. The book design is perfectly suited to beginning readers; borders in simple designs and one-color frames both unify and distinguish individual selections. While readers may find the single story books more appealing for read-alone times, families who read and share stories together will find this to be an excellent introduction to a variety of literature, authors, and book characters. A rich and satisfying collection. --Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
