2/23/2001 BOOK! BOOK! BOOK! by Deborah Bruss, Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke, Arthur A. Levine Books May 2001

In those years when I'd do daily circle times with preschoolers and kindergarteners, I used to love to have the children act out stories from picture books they knew from repeated readings. Depending upon the age group, I'd utilize books such as CAPS FOR SALE,THE WOLF'S CHICKEN STEW, THE PEA PATCH JIG, MUSHROOM IN THE RAIN and John Burningham's RABBIT.

It took me awhile to understand why I liked this simple little story BOOK! BOOK! BOOK! so much. I did immediately suspect that it is one of those books that librarians would put a copy aside for reading to young groups and classes. The bored farm animals see smiling people entering a building (the library), and they go in one after another, futilely trying to communicate with the librarian. Of course it is finally Hen who knows the magic words which the librarian understands (see title). The illustrations are soft,sweet, and beautiful. What I finally realized was that it is also special to me because it is one of those perfect join in/act out stories.

Richie Partington

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