Children's Book Research

Children's Book Research:

Just some info on some popular children's books and what the learning objectives of the books are and how they are made fun and interesting for the child. Similar to the age group we are going for.

http://thereadingtub.com/childrens-book-reviews.php?book=THE-RAINBOW-FISH-by-Mark-Pfister

THE RAINBOW FISH

Author: Mark Pfister

Illustrator: J. Alison James (Translator)

Summary: The Rainbow Fish learns that being the most beautiful fish in the sea can be lonely. Ultimately he learns that there is more to be gained by sharing his special qualities than by keeping them all to himself. The story emphasizes not only the importance of sharing, but the joy that comes from giving. (Do Terri and Kerri share the tent with other characters in the story?)

Type of Reading: family reading, playtime reading

Recommended Age: read together: 2 to 6; read yourself: 5 to 8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairy_Maclary

HAIRY MACLARY

Author: Lynley Dodd

The Hairy Maclary books are picture books that are designed to be shared by an adult reader and a young child. The plots are simple, in keeping with the comprehension of the pre-reading age group for which they are ranged. They generally involve Hairy and his friends in adventurous scenarios pitched against local cats, often with an implication that the cats are more cunning. The animals in this series, unlike the creatures of Beatrix Potter's stories, are not given human thoughts and motives. Their actions tell the stories, and reflect their animal natures.

The text is written in rhythmic verse that flows easily and has simple rhymes like "Bottomley Potts covered in spots, Hercules Morse as big as a horse". The repetitions permit a young child to anticipate what is coming next, and repeat the words.

http://reviews-of-childrens-literature.pbworks.com/w/page/10581747/We%E2%80%99re%20Going%20on%20a%20Bear%20Hunt

WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

Author: Helen Oxenbury

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt fills the entire board book with the imaginative story about a family on the hunt for a bear. Throughout the journey to find the bear and the race back home the father is leading the bunch – and implicit metaphor for the type of relationship parents have with their children...children do not have a choice but to follow their parents, who inevitable mold their children’s personalities. (Terri the Tuatara 'leads' Kerri through the adventure)

Overall, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt beautifully illustrates the appeal of adventure as well as the truth about consequences. (Could be good to include a lesson like this in our book?)

The illustrations are full bleed, double-page spreads.  This evokes the feeling of the characters traveling through a vast, new frontier.  The characters are splayed out across these pages, always in a row as they follow one another through the settings.  Their facial expressions add to the impressionism of the story, either making the setting seem comfortable, exciting, and fun-filled, or worried, anxious, frightened, or relieved.  Their gestures also help the reader imagine what it would like to be one of the characters in the book. 

http://1001-book-reviews-kids.blogspot.co.nz/2011/01/review-perky-pukeko.html

PERKY THE PUKEKO

Author: Michelle Osment 

The theme to Perky the Pukeko is much like the Ugly Duckling - he's not like the other birds (in this case, chickens), and is seen as an outsider.  Perky eventually finds a place where he belongs

This is a rhyming book, which makes it very easy to read aloud to your children, and in each book there is a couple of uniquely New Zealand words in there to teach your children