Kathryn Heling

A group of kindergarteners get ready for graduation day, reflecting on what they've learned and what lies ahead in first grade.

Told with rhyming text and repeating phrases, this story would make for a lovely readaloud, especially in a kindergarten classroom. Obviously, it is perfect for graduations, but it is also just a good story about how something new can be both very exciting and a little worrisome.

The illustrations are adorable and depict children (and adults) of different racial show more backgrounds and various abilities. show less

In this book, ten groundhogs are hanging out underground in their den and engaging in various fun activities (dancing, gymnastics, music, etc.). On each spread, one groundhog gets fed up and leaves the den, until only one groundhog is left. He ventures outside also, but what will he find?

This book is appealing in its simple repetition of lines (such as the "let me out, out, out" declared by each departing groundhog), which can be read aloud in a sing-song manner, making it even more engaging show more for young children. The illustrations are a little more cartoonish than I prefer, but I think these serve to grab children's attention. I read this book with my toddler class and even my most inattentive listener loved this book. In fact, the children asked to hear it again later.

While it's nominally billed as a Groundhog's Day book, there's little reference to the holiday except in a back cover note. That's not necessarily a bad thing though because this book has broader appeal beyond just the one day a year, although it can certainly be introduced on Groundhog's Day itself. show less

A mouse literally builds rhymes by tearing the first letters off a series of words and replacing them with different letters. The rhyme scheme also gets fractured in the process.

My daughter was not impressed when she was three, and I remain unimpressed a couple decades later.

FOR REFERENCE:

Rated “Indifferent" in our old book database by Rod and Adelia.

While the protagonist wishes for freckles like Abby, I was wishing for a more exciting picture book. Throughout the book freckles get splattered and painted on the protagonist in creative ways as she attempts to be like her friend.
The pleasure of this book comes not from its story, or its delightful illustrations, but from the opportunity to learn a little Spanish (or English) as you read along. Each page offers text first in English and then in Spanish. The repetition of the word freckles show more on every page allows the reader an anchor into the language that they are not familiar with. It also quickly illustrates the different structure of the languages, with freckles/pecas appearing at different points in the sentences, as is appropriate for each language.
The cuteness of the story and the simplicity of its ending, Abby wants to have glasses just like the protagonist, limits the audience to Kindergarten through grade 3. Children above the age of 9 might be bored with the simple story and miss an opportunity to learn about a foreign language. show less