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CM . . . .
Volume V Number 6 . . . . November 13, 1998
excerpt: I spy a shovel and a big rubber duck; 
In recent years, Scholastic has published a number of "I Spy" books, some
organized around themes such as halloween and school. With the I Spy Little
Book, the publisher seeks a much younger audience to play their print
version of the "I-spy-with-my-little-eye" game. In this board book for
toddlers, six rhyming couplets are distributed over a dozen pages, and young
children are invited to locate each line's objects amongst the various items
found in the colored photograph on the facing page. To assist non-readers in
using the book independently, the target items are also illustrated on the
poetry page. While the child normally only has to find two objects in each
grouping, that task is sometimes made more difficult because the perspective of
the sought after item has been changed or it is partly covered by surrounding
objects. In one case, youngsters are shown a plastic horse and a toy train
caboose, and they must then select the two items from a grouping of
silhouettes. The challenge is further increased because the horse's silhouette
has been reversed. Depending on their child's age and ability, parents can
follow along with the book's poetic directions, or they could abandon the text
and simply use the photographs as an opportunity for naming and vocabulary
development. A useful book to keep in the away-from-home bag to amuse restless
toddlers.
Recommended. With the arrival of a second granddaughter, Michelle, Dave Jenkinson, who teaches children's and adolescent literature courses in the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba, is showing a renewed interest in board books.
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - NOVEMBER 13, 1998. AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME |
