Aliki

Even though it is an information text, this book has a sweet tone and is not at all dry. The narrator is a cartoon cat (in fact, all of the "people" in the book are cats) who loves to read books. I can see children really catching this kitten's enthusiasm as he bounces in joy over "A book for me!"

The bulk of the book provides a thorough explanation of how books are made. Though some of the specific details are outdated (e.g. floppy disks), the book demonstrates the metacognitive skills show more required by writers and editors well. Aliki shows the struggle the writer faces: "It is harder than expected. Sometimes she can't find the right words." This is a powerful message for children, as it is important for budding writers to learn that writing is a process and good writing does not come easily. Another relevant educational aspect of the book is the "designer." In the illustration, the designer is deliberating between fonts, how to format pictures, etc. to best convey the message of the book. Effective design is a skill that does not come naturally to many people. By illustrating the designer's thought process, Aliki models what thoughtful decision-making looks like. In fact, this is a theme continued throughout the book, from the editing process right down to the placement of colors during the print job.

The book ends with the printed word taking on a new life in libraries, and bookstores, and children's homes. The final image of the kitten snuggled up in bed with the book, wishing the book "Goodnight!" leaves the reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling towards books--which is exactly the message I would hope young children would take away from reading picture books. show less

I got this book as a gift when I was a kid, and absolutely loved it. Aliki's illustrations are clean and effective, and it's a fun history book for elementary school kids.

So many encyclopedia-style books for children are dry, uninspiring, cluttered twaddle - not so with Ah, Music!. It's not comprehensive by any means, but it is an interesting general music book for younger children. Sections (which range from 1-8 pages), cover technical matters such as music notation, voices of the choir, dynamics and tempo, but also moods of music, dancing to music, and even a brief history.

The illustrations are multicultural and the content goes beyond typical orchestra show more instruments (although those and classical music figure in heavily) to include instruments from various countries and historical times. Most pages feature contemporary children commenting in comic-style fashion. Again, Ah, Music! is not comprehensive, but it's entertaining in and of itself, and it makes for a decent jumping-off point. (ages 2-6) show less

The author and illustrator, Aliki, painted William Penn in a very positive light. The story depicts Penn as a peaceful, pleasant, family man, and advocate for freedom. In most of the pictures everyone is smiling. There is a mixture of black and white pictures and colorful pictures. The time he was placed in prison and the boat trip to America were the only unpleasant moments depicted in this book. Though I like the happy story, I find myself highly skeptical of his easy transition into an show more agreement with the Native Americans and seemingly quick growth of Pennsylvania. I don't doubt that he was a well liked and respected man but life hardly ever goes so smoothly without disagreements or failure of some sort. I understand it is a children's book and therefore aspects have been sugar coated and made to seem honky dory but I would have preferred a little more realistic biography and less vague pleasantries. show less