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| Race Car Count, by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Michael Slack |
Race Car Count
Written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Illustrated by Michael Slack
Christy Ottaviano, Henry Holt 2015
Ages 2-7, 150 words
Themes:
Concept, Counting
Red light, yellow light, green light, GO!
Race car 1 honks, look at me!
He zooms in front with the turn of a key.
Synopsis:
A simple rhyming counting book featuring a variety of anthropomorphic race cars speeding for the prize.
What I Love:
Cars with eyes and rhyming text normally would have doomed this picture book before I even opened the cover, but Race Car Count is so well done. Kai Dotlich's rhyme and meter are a joy to read aloud. The rhyme actually carries the story forward. The illustrator made the cars interesting and imbued them with personality instead of drawing saccharine stereotypes. The color palette and composition add vitality to the book. I wish I had this book for my kids when they were little. They would have asked for it repeatedly, and I would have enjoyed every reread.
Bonus:
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| Today's Parent offers how to make a DIY race car costume. |
1. Julie Hedlund has posted a fascinating interview with today's author, Rebecca Kai Dotlich.
2. Illustrator Michael Slack has designed a free downloadable activity kit for young readers on his website.
3. Great Kids Pirthday Parties has collected a variety of car-shaped snacks, from hotdogs to apple slices. Why not provide the fixings and let the kids decorate their cars with as much diversity as the racers in the book?
4. Homemade Preschool offers a free worksheet for counting race cars and you can find a race car dot-to-dot on BigActivities.
5. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.
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| Reviewed by Joanne |
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| Reviewed by Tracy |
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| Reviewed by Penny |
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| Reviewed by Joanna |
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| Reviewed by Julie |
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| Reviewed by Erik |
Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, September 23, 2016 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.
Sounds like a book that would immediately engage children. They'd have fun with the counting. Lovely choice. Great interview with Rebecca Kai Dotlich on Julie's website.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Rebecca has a way with words.
DeleteThis looks adorable and it's a big plus that the rhyme is spot on. My son would've loved this a few years back.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. There are so many mediocre books of this type, I thought it was important to showcase the good ones.
DeleteYes, cars, counting. Perfect! I'll have to take a look at Julie's interview. Thanks for highlighting!
ReplyDeleteThanks. The interview has some particularly good points for writers.
DeleteJoanne...I absolutely LOVE seeing a rhyming book get published...I used to write a lot in rhyme before I started writing nonfiction pbs...great activities/resources in your super post!
ReplyDeleteRhyming picture books are so incredible when they are done well. I wish I had the passion to pursue that skill, but alas, I'll stick to prose. Thanks for the kudos.
DeleteYes rhyming picture books are great when done well. Lovely eye catching cover. Very kid related. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for reading! Today's review wasn't deep, but definitely surprising and fun, perfect ingredients for a picture book.
DeleteGreat concept combo...thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. I recommend it because I myself would have passed it by. But it's clever.
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