Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat [Paperback]

Gene Baer (Author), Lois Ehlert (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

The marching band is in the distance. Big as ants. Loud as crickets. Here it comes! Big as crickets. Loud as birds. Coming closer! Louder and louder, brighter and brighter. Hear the drums! Hear the horns! The band is here, marching by. Thump, Thump, Thump! Rat-a-tat-tat!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The "festive colors" and "flashing brass" of a marching band appear before the reader in this foot-stomping parade of color. "Big as ants" and "loud as crickets," the tiny marchers climb off a yellow bus. The reader hears the band's "distant drums/chirping horns/THUMP, THUMP/THUMP, THUMP."Colors and sounds grow larger and louder as the band grows closer ("big as birds/loud as lions/THUMP, THUMP/THUMP, THUMP"), then gradually fade away. Baer's crescendo and de-crescendo of words is amiably matched by the typesize and by Ehlert's stylized marchers. The design is crisp and inventive; abstract but definable bandmembers made of rectangles and circles in primary colors step smartly across vivid pages. Readers will want to cheer for this rat-a-tat-tat parade. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A visual and auditory delight. . . . an irresistible parade." -- -- The Boston Globe

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 30, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064432653
• ISBN-13: 978-0064432658
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #875,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Toddlers love the words and colors, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat (Paperback)

My 15 month old twins love this book. The rhythms of the text have them moving to the beat. They love the bright colors, and the sparse geometric drawings. They bring it to me at least once a day with claps and laughs. Be sure to read it aloud with dynamics!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars surprisingly addictive, November 11, 2008

By 

Elizabeth Rose Augustine "Bibliophile" (Whidbey Island, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thump, Thump, Rat-A-Tat-Tat (Hardcover)

I didn't have high hopes for this book when my 4 year old chose it at the library. I'm not the biggest fan of the chunky, simplistic shape illustrations. But I have three boys (6, 4 & 2) and we've all fallen in love with this book. It's the rhythm! The reader has to get into the right kind of cadence and groove and from then on it's just a lovely little number that'll get everyone joining in on the "Rat-a-tat tat..."

The illustrations are forgivable, a personal preference thing. In fact, being so simple and non-detailed kind of helps to keep the focus on the words and concepts rather than the pictures.

This is one library book we're going to buy!

5.0 out of 5 stars Thump, Thump, Rat-A-Tat-Tat, December 12, 2010

By 

rebeqah love (colorado Springs Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thump, Thump, Rat-A-Tat-Tat (Board book)

My oldest boy loved this book. The rhythm of the book helped to sooth him when nothing else worked. Love this book because it saved my sanity! I saved it to pass on, but it has been so used, and is so beat up that I am excited about finding another copy!