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Read to Your Bunny.
Rosemary Wells. Subject Headings:
Parents of infants and toddlers up to 2 years of age.
*** /4
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excerpt:
Reading together twenty minutes a day is the most important gift you can give your child.
While the book's picture book format and small size suggest it is "for" infants and toddlers, the title's imperative to "read to YOUR Bunny" confirms that the intended audience really consists of parents, especially the "unconverted" who have not yet recognized the value of reading regularly to their children. Eight pairs of facing pages present a different adult rabbit (of indeterminate gender and changing hue) reading to a toddler bunny. To reinforce the idea that the 20 minutes of reading to a child can (and should) occur anywhere, the adult rabbits can be found reading to their children in both expected settings, such as curled up in bed and on chairs, but also while flying a plane, having a bath, lounging on the beach, and ice skating. The cartoon-like illustrations reinforce the feeling of loving closeness that shared reading can create. As a final "argument," Wells' provides the payoff: "Read to your bunny often, and...your bunny will read to you." The book's two pages of closing text speak directly to parents and offer further reasons for beginning to read to children while they are still quite young. Though the text may not be too "interesting" to the infant/toddler, its poetic rhythm reinforces language acquisition, and the bright illustrations are warmly attractive.
Though the book certainly has a place in the parenting section of public libraries, it would make a better gift to new parents and would be a worthwhile addition to baby hampers provided to new mothers in hospitals.
Recommended.
Dave Jenkinson is a strong advocate of the idea of reading regularly to children - even before they are born!
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © 1998 the Manitoba Library Association.
Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice
is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without
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TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - JUNE 5, 1998.
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The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364