For the giggling masses who love Hervé Tullet's Press Here, BJ Novak's The Book With No Pictures, and Bill Cotter's Don't Push the Button comes an interactive new series!
The Books That Drive Kids CRAZY! series offers parents, teachers, and storytellers a hilarious script for fun reading time together. Book 2, This Is a Ball, is a boldly absurd spin-off of concept books, and an audaciously contrarian invitation for readers to practice deadpan delivery: after all, the picture on the cover clearly shows a cube, not a ball. The page that declares a princess is flying a kite at the beach shows an alien holding a balloon in a city...and on and on. What is WRONG with this silly book? Kids will demand to know--and all readers will be howling with laughter all along the way. With strikingly simple text and art, Books That Drive Kids CRAZY! are ideal picks for emergent readers.--from the publisher
32 pages 978-0316434379 Ages 5-8
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It's hard to believe that it is 10 years since I reviewed the original of this becoming-a-classic that has been enjoyed by so many little ones as they argue the point with the person sharing it with them.
The title clearly states “This is a ball” but the picture is a cube! And so it begins with ‘misnamed’ objects being introduced throughout accompanied by a “commentary” that suggests the interaction between child and reader. Designed with pages and illustrations that are reminiscent of the uncluttered style of Dick Bruna, preschoolers love the opportunity to contradict the adult, something they rarely get a chance to do legitimately. And, if the adult asks, "how do you know?" it also gives them a chance to consider what they know about the objects and then organise and express their thoughts, offering an early lesson in presenting evidence to justify and argument. The last page just gives the opening to start all the fun all over again.
However, this is not only a book for the preschoolers in our lives, but also those who are learning English. because it gives them an opportunity to show off their knowledge of their new language. They might not know “princess’ yet but they will know she’s not a “monster” and it’s going to really encourage them to listen as well as look. And then maybe create their own stories for a display which could include the word in their own language so everyone learns.
The authors wrote this book for their goddaughter who loves playing the game with them but it is one that is going to bring a lot of fun and learning to many as a new generation of preschoolers move through the ranks. Don’t think because it’s target audience is the very young that it doesn’t have a place in your collection.
This review can also be found here.
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
See more of her recommnendations:
500 Hats http://500hats.edublogs.org/
The Bottom Shelf http://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/
