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The fun-loving fowl of Cockatoo, Too (reviewed here) are back with more lively language play, and this time they’re stirring things up with a new recipe. Yes, it’s a delicious toucan stew!
No, wait! Come back, toucans! I meant a “delicious two-can stew for toucans, too” not “toucan stew”! Oh, dear. (Or, perhaps, “old deer”?)
Full of wit and humor, author-illustrator Bethanie Deeney Murguia’s new picture book, Toucans, Too, follows a series of quite understandable misunderstandings involving cockatoos, toucans, two-can stews, canoes, gnus, and cuckoos, too. It’s a worthy sequel. (“See quail”? Maybe next time!)
Ages 2+
In Cockatoo, Too, two cockatoos meet two tutued cockatoos; then they want two tutus, too. The two pairs of tutued cockatoos soon join two pairs of tutued toucans can-canning.
Sparely written, Bethanie Deeney Murguia’s Cockatoo, Too is a simple story told in clever homonym wordplay and attractive watercolor illustrations. As the dedication indicates, it’s the perfect picture book “for word lovers and bird lovers.” Share it with older readers to exemplify the versatility of language, or share it with younger readers just for fun!
For another picture book featuring delightful word and punctuation play within a simple story, try Emily Gravett’s Orange Pear Apple Bear.
Ages 2 and up
When two words sound the same but are spelled differently, we call those words homonyms. Rose will tell you all about her list of homonyms, including one for her dog Rain (reign). Life is challenging for Rose because of her Asperger's. This just means she sees the world a little differently than other kids, and certain things can really upset her. She lives with her Dad because her mom left, but her Dad doesn't really understand Rose sometimes and gets mad. Thank goodness Rose has Uncle Weldon.
RAIN REIGN by Ann Martin might be a little quirky, but once you start reading, it will be hard to put down. There's always something exciting every few pages. For 5th - 8th grades.
SEPT 2015
