Sam's Sunflower. (Tadpoles). Jillian Powell. Illustrated by Johanna Boccardo. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2008. 24 pp., pbk. & hc., $7.95 (pbk.), $18.36 (RLB). ISBN 978-0-7787-3895-4 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-3864-0 (RLB). Subject Heading: Readers-Sunflowers. Kindergarten-grade 1 / Ages 5-6. Review by Deborah Pethrick. *** /4

excerpt:

Class 2B were growing sunflowers. There was a prize for the tallest.

First they sowed the seeds. Then they watered them. Soon the sunflowers were growing... except for Sam's....

When Sam's sunflower fails to grow in the pot, his teacher suggests that perhaps a bird took the seed. When the students look up, they see a giant sunflower growing on the other side of the fence. Written in a style to encourage newly independent readers, this illustrated story is written in under 80 words and 24 pages, using a large text format. The colourful illustrations give visual clues to what is happening on each page. The story makes room for discussion and questions when the pot fails to produce a flower and the flower grows on the other side the fence. At the end of the book are suggestions for adults reading with a child. This title and others in the "Tadpoles" series would be a useful support in any early years' classroom.

Recommended.

Deborah Pethrick works in a K-9 school library in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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