75. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

Bibliographic Citation:
Diesen, Deborah. The Pout-Pout Fish. Illustrated by Dan Hanna. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. ISBN 978-0374360962. 

Awards/Selection Lists:
Time Magazine's Top 10 Childrens’ Books of 2008

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
The Pout-Pout Fish moves around the ocean with a pout on his face, and thinks it's his job to be dreary, until he learns a new lesson about the pout on his face.

Personal Reaction:
This book reveals that sometimes the things that might not seem so great about ourselves can turn out to give a lot of joy to others. The fish in this story was born with a pout, and so he thinks that it is his job to "spread the dreary wearies" all around the ocean. He meets other animals in the ocean as he swims along and they each try to cheer him up. It's not until he meets a fish who kisses him at the end of the book that he realizes that his pout can actually spread love and joy if he uses it for sharing love. 

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 4-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Grumpiness, self-acceptance, change of attitude, ocean life, love

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Children are invited to participate in the telling of the story through the rhyming text and the repeated refrain, "blub, blub, blub".


Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is addressed through rhyming, rhythmic text and alliteration.


Print Awareness:
The text of the story is printed in a small, simple font in the empty space in the illustrations.



Print Motivation: 
This is a fun story that children will enjoy hearing and participating in through the rhymes and sound effects that are a part of the text. The illustrations are cartoon-like, and invite children to enjoy the pictures as the story is read, or enjoy them on their own.


Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book is centered around different types of creations found in the ocean, as well as the moods of the Pout-Pout Fish.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
Author website: http://deborahdiesen.com/
Illustrator website: http://www.bluebellylizard.com/index.html

72. Buzz Buzz (Audio CD) by Laurie Berkner

Bibliographic Citation:
Berkner, Laurie. (1998). Buzz Buzz [CD]. New York, NY: Two Tomatoes Records, LLC.

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:
Audio music CD

Annotation:
A combination of original and traditional songs which inspire imagination, rhyme, rhythm and movement for preschool children through a combination of guitar-backed and a capella recordings.

Personal Reaction:
This music CD incorporates alliteration, rhyming, and songs that encourage movement and participation. The songs are catchy, with some familiar traditional songs. Some of the original songs encourage the use of musical instruments, and learning is tucked into the lyrics through sounds and actions.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this CD for use with children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Music, movement, rhythm, rhyming, imagination, instruments

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this CD.


Narrative Skills:
The songs on this CD all encourage participation, and many of the songs tell story through their lyrics, such as "The Pretzel Store", "Pig on Her Head", and "Lots of Little Pigs".


Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is embedded within lyrics through rhyming words and alliteration.


Print Awareness:
Print awareness is not a direct focus of this CD.


Print Motivation: 
The songs on this CD can be directly linked to children's books in order to encourage literacy and reading. One example is the song, "Lots of Pigs" is modeled after the classic children's story, "The Three Pigs".


Vocabulary:
Vocabulary included in the lyrics of this CD are based on preschool concepts such as positional words, rhyming, alliteration, and traditional songs.



Author/ Artist Website:
http://www.laurieberkner.com/index.php

70. The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh

Bibliographic Citation:

Walsh, Joanna. The Biggest Kiss. Illustrated by Judi Abbot. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 2011. 32p. ISBN 978-1-4424-27693

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Different kisses for different animals are represented through rhyming text and colorful illustrations.

Personal Reaction:
The smallest ant and the biggest elephant all receive kisses. The rhyming text of this story about different types of kisses for different animals is combined with lively illustrations, which young children will enjoy. The rhyming format changes throughout the book, which makes the text read like a song at times.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Parents, children, love, animals, rhyming, alliteration 

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills:
The rhyming text invites children to help recite the story along with the reader as they become familiar with the words.

Phonological Awareness:
Phonological awareness is fostered through rhyming text, alliteration, and phrases, which are sometimes represented within the inside of the sentence's structure, while other times it is presented as end rhyme.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story appears in various font sizes, with the word "kiss" appearing in bold print.

Print Motivation:
The whimsy of the illustrations and the fun of the rhyming text make this a book that children will enjoy reading together with an adult.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary of this book deals with different animals, sizes, and uses some nonsense words within the rhymes and alliteration that is presented.

Author/ Illustrator Website:

Illustrator website: http://www.giudiimages.it/

64. Go, Go, Grapes: A Fruit Chant by April Pulley Sayre

Bibliographic Citation:
Sayre, April Pulley. Go, Go, Grapes!: A Fruit Chant. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books, 2012. 32 p. ISBN 978-1442433908.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
This book showcases different types of fruits through photographs taken at farmer's markets, small grocery stores, and fruit stands. 

Personal Reaction:
Rhyming text is presented alongside photographs to identify different types of fruit. The rhythmic text describes the attributes of the various fruits in the pictures, including color, taste, and texture.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-7 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Fruits, colors, textures, taste, nonfiction

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
The narrative, rhythmic text invites children to participate in reading the story. Dialogic reading would also offer children the opportunity to identify fruit in the accompanying photographs.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is presented through rhyming text and alliteration.

Print Awareness:
Text appears in white font against colorful backgrounds, which draws attention to the printed words of the book.


Print Motivation: 
Children will enjoy the colorful pages and photographs included in this book. The rhyming text is presented in fun, rhythmic way that will have children jumping in as the story is read.


Vocabulary:
Vocabulary presented in this book is focused around different types of fruit and the way they look, feel, and taste. Children will be presented with the identification of new types of fruit.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.aprilsayre.com/

55. In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming

Bibliographic Citation:
Fleming, Denise. In the Small, Small Pond. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, 1993. 32 p. ISBN 978-0805081176.

Awards/Selection Lists:
Caldecott Honor, 1994
ALA Notable Children's Book, 1994
Publisher's Weekly Starred Review and Best Books of 1993 Editors' Choice
School Library Journal Best Books of 1993 

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:
Children learn about the animals and insects at a pond through the author's use of rhyming text, alliteration, and colorful, paper pulp illustrations.

Personal Reaction:
Denise Fleming uses her classic paper pulp artwork to beautifully introduce a young child to pond animals within their natural habitat.The text of the story includes rhyming descriptions and alliteration to describe the animals and their natural movements at the pond. Text is simple and appears in a font that is easy to see and easy to read.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Pond life, alliteration, nature

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Narrative skills can be modeled through dialogic reading, with questions pertaining to the animals represented in the illustrations.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is represented through rhyming words and alliteration within the text.

Print Awareness:
The text of the story appears in large, simple, black font positioned to support the illustrations on each page.

Print Motivation: 
The simplicity of the story, paired with the colorful illustrations make this book a fun choice for young children.

Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book is connected to pond animals and their natural habitat. 



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://www.denisefleming.com/

44. My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

Bibliographic Citation:
Hall, Michael. My Heart is Like a Zoo. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2009. 32 p. ISBN 978-0061915109.

Awards/Selection Lists:

None

Format Examined:
Hard cover

Annotation:
Twenty paper animals made from colorful heart shapes are included in this book about emotions.

Personal Reaction:
Animals are created from collages of brightly colored hearts, and are accompanied by simple text describing emotions that match the animal on the page. Alliteration is sprinkled throughout the book, which promotes phonological awareness. The text of the book is printed in a simple to read, white font, which is easily noticed among the bright colors on the page.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Love, heart shapes, emotions, bright colors, animals

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.


Narrative Skills: 
Simple text that matches the artwork on each page encourages participation from children in the telling of the story, and in making guesses as to the type of animal on each page. 

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is addressed through periodic alliteration throughout the book.

Print Awareness:
Text is presented in a simple white font against the colorful background of the page and colorful hearts that make up each animal.

Print Motivation: 
The simple text and colorful heart-made animals make this an inviting book for preschool-aged children to revisit on their own or with an adult reader.

Vocabulary:
Vocabulary pertains to each animal name, as well as the descriptions associated with each animal.



Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://myheartislikeazoo.com/

35. Edward Lear's A Was Once an Apple Pie, Adapted by Suse MacDonald

Bibliographic Citation:

Lear, Edward and Suse MacDonald. A Was Once an Apple Pie. New York, NY: Orchard Books, 2005. 32 p. ISBN 978-0-545-00547-0.

Awards/Selection Lists:
None

Format Examined:
Paperback

Annotation:

The alphabet is presented from A-Z through rhyme, alliteration, and colorful illustrations.

Personal Reaction:

This concept book focuses on letter knowledge through silly, rhyming text and uses alliteration to promote phonological awareness,

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:
Alphabet order, rhyme, alliteration

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Large, colorful letters are presented in alphabetical order and are accompanied by illustrations that represent each letter.

Narrative Skills: 
Silly, rhyming text that includes alliteration makes this a fun book for children to help narrate as they become familiar with the book.

Phonological Awareness: 
Alliteration and rhyming support the sounds of each of the letters of the alphabet.

Print Awareness:
Each of the letters of the alphabet are printed in large, colorful print, and accompanied by text that is in simple, black font on each page. This book is very print driven, and supported well by the illustrations.

Print Motivation: 
This book, with its silly text encourages children to become involved, and as they learn the letters of the alphabet, this book is one they will enjoy revisiting.

Vocabulary:
Words that support each of the letters are part of the text on each page, and offer children the opportunity to learn new words.

Author/ Illustrator Website
http://www.susemacdonald.com/

8. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

Bibliographic Citation:

Martin, Jr., Bill and Archambault, John. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Illustrated by Lois Ehlert. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1989. ISBN 0-590-43889-1  

Awards/Selection Lists:
ALA Notable Children's Books, 1989
Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book, 1990
Horn Book Starred Review, 1990
Booklist Starred Review, 1990
International Reading Association Children's Choices, 1990
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 1991
Parents' Choice Award, 2003 

Format Examined:

Paperback

Annotation:

All the letters of the alphabet race to the top of a coconut tree until the tree bends and the letters fall to the ground. 

Personal Reaction:

This fun, colorful book is full of rhythm and rhyme to teach children letter names. The boldface text draws attention to uppercase letters as the colorful lowercase letters inch their way up the coconut tree-- until they become too heavy, and down the letters fall. This book is a classic that will continue to please children and parents alike for years to come.

Age Recommendation:

I would recommend this book for children 3-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Letters, rhythm, rhyme, uppercase letters and lowercase letters

Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge:
This book centers around naming letters in alphabetical order. The lowercase letters are represented within the illustrations in color, and the uppercase letters are printed in bold within the text. These factors all work together to help the child recognize the letters on each page, and also provide the opportunity for children to match upper and lowercase letters. 

Narrative Skills:
The rhythm and rhyme of this book allows children to participate in reciting the text as becomes familiar.

Phonological Awareness:
While letters are the focus of this book, the sounds that are made by the letters in the story are not mentioned. 

Print Awareness:
The illustrations include print through the colorful letters of the alphabet. The letters that are named throughout the text are in bold and the words "BOOM! BOOM!" are in all caps to emphasize the print. The characteristics draw attention to the printed text on each page.

Print Motivation: 
The rhythm and rhyme of the text combined with colorful illustrations make this book a fun choice that children enjoy reading over and over. 

Vocabulary:
Rhythm words are introduced along with alliteration ("skit skat skoodle doot" and "flip flop flee"). Directional words such as up and top are included within the text.  


Author/ Illustrator Websites:
Author websites: 
John Archambault: http://www.johnarchambault.com/ 
Bill Martin, Jr.: http://www.billmartinjr.com/

 Illustrator Website:
 Lois Ehlert: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Lois-Ehlert/1877089