From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-Each page of these books presents a close-up illustration of a part of an animal while the text gives a progression of clues culminating in the identity of the creature on the last page. Changing Colors describes a chameleon; High in the Trees features a koala bear, neither of which is commonly familiar to standard board-book audiences. They would be hard pressed to figure out the answers from the text and close-up picture clues on a first reading. An ideal audience for these titles is older elementary children with special educational and physical needs. The books are small enough that they are not too heavy, and the format allows special-needs children to be able to turn the pages themselves. The nonfiction approach would also be appealing to older students whose educational level is in the lower primary grades, but whose interest level is much higher. These selections would also be useful in speech therapy where the clue format is often employed to work on processing problems and to help students learn to draw conclusions. Compared to Tana Hoban's concept books, which are very basic in their presentation and have spare texts, these offerings are much more complex. The detailed illustrations complement the text and provide the opportunity for further questions and discussion of the subject.
Vicki Emery, Belle View Elementary School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Vicki Emery, Belle View Elementary School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Description
"My soft pouch is for my baby. . . . I curl up and sleep all day high in the trees." This adorable fluffy-eared marsupial munches on eucalyptus leaves in the treetops as the clues build up to the final spread and the answer-"I am a koala!"
