Still a Gorilla

Rhyming is a very important component of literacy. It’s an early indicator of familiarity and facility with language, and can be a predictor of future reading fluency. Playing with words, especially rhyming words, builds vocabulary and encourages recognition of differences between words that sound similar. There are literally thousands of children’s books written in rhyme, but every now and then we come across one that’s extra fun and appealing. Kim Norman’s Still a Gorilla delights with its fun rhymes and bold, eye-catching illustrations by Chad Geran.

Willy the gorilla sees all of the other animals at the zoo, and attempts to imitate them in the hope of being more like them. But no matter how hard he works at it, he’s "still a gorilla." Undeterred, he continues to try. Young readers will have fun making the animal sounds represented, and may try behaving like a lion, a kangaroo, or an alligator. My favorite page is the one in which Willy tries to be a walrus. "If Willy’s teeth grow wrong (a foot too long!), will Willy be a walrus? Will he?" (Willy places two bananas in the front of his mouth to look like the walrus’ tusks.) The answer is the same each time: "No. Still a gorilla!" Willy the Gorilla is simply what he’s meant to be.

This is a book that children will enjoy hearing multiple times, and also one that they could read on their own in a short period of time. The font is large and colorful, and there’s plenty of repetition to reinforce the text. Learning to celebrate ourselves for all we have to offer is always a valuable message, and this book joins a number of others that carry a similar sentiment. Still a Gorilla is silly, lighthearted, and fun, and was one of my grandson’s favorite gifts over the holidays. It’s easy to see why.

Guest post by Bridget W. 

There's a Bear on My Chair

Poor Mouse has a problem that’s proving very difficult to solve: there’s a bear on his chair! Mouse gives the bear a “nasty glare,” tries to “tempt him with a pear,” and tries to give the bear a scare by jumping out in his underwear, but nothing works. Finally, Mouse disappears, and the polar bear, finding himself alone, returns to his igloo to discover a “mouse in my house!”

By now, you can probably guess that this delightful story is told entirely in rhyme. Mouse’s anger and frustration and the bear’s oblivion to it are shown in the very humorous and expressive illustrations. The rhyme and rhythm of this story make it a great choice for reading aloud. There’s a Bear on My Chair, by Ross Collins, is sure to be an instant classic!

Guest post by Allison C. 

Wherever You Go

Babies and young children take great delight in exploring their worlds, and for good reason: there’s always something new and exciting to see and do. Some are more intrepid than others, but eventually the appeal of the unknown wins over even the most cautious among them. Pat Zietlow Miller’s Wherever You Go offers a new spin on Dr. Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go through the character of a friendly rabbit who points out all of the wonderful things that await us on the many roads in our future if we’re willing to be a participant in the process. “Want an adventure?” she asks. “Just open your door.”

Miller uses a wide array of encouraging phrases in rhyming text, and Eliza Wheeler’s appealing pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations lure young readers into the world beyond. “Which path should you choose? That’s easy to see. The one that will take you where you wish to be.” A handsome crew of animals travels across rivers, through forests, from deep valleys to mountaintops, and into the city, then out again. In the end, those roads all inevitably lead back home.

Our little ones will usually venture as far as they can, thrilled with the excitement of it all, then come running back to touch base at the safe place they call home, with us. This behavior may be repeated at different points as they get older, as well. Encouraging independence while reassuring them that they can always return to the familiar safety of home is a valuable gift we can give to them, and a boost to self-confidence that will serve them well as they grow. The sanctuary we offer is the foundation of trust, and, together with familiar stories, becomes a building block that forms strong bonds and an adventurous and empathetic spirit. How fortunate we are to have so many amazing books that our children can read and learn from as they navigate the paths in front of them, wherever they go!

Guest post by Bridget W.

Good Night, Truck

For all of the transportation-loving little ones out there, Good Night, Truck by Sally Odgers is sure to be a hit! This rhyming bedtime book features a truck, tractor, digger, boat, and even a rocket. Your child will love seeing each vehicle get its work done during the day at the beginning of the book, and then find its place to rest for the night at the end of the story. You’ll love all of the rhyming text that will help your child hear the smaller sounds in words, an important pre-reading skill. This book is a win for everyone!

Spots in a Box

The die-cut circles on the cover of Helen Ward’s latest book, Spots in a Box, will be the first thing kids will want to investigate in this delightfully charming story. Once they open the book, though, they’ll find the rhyming words, the touch-and-feel pages, and the sweet message will be reason enough to stick around.

The story begins: “There once was a guinea fowl without any spots, which made him feel odd ‘cause the others had lots.” So, the spot-free guinea fowl writes a letter asking for spots. The result is quite amusing. Starting the following day, box after box of spots comes, but none of them are the right kind. They’re too tall, sparkly, sneezy, or small. At one point, he even receives a box of “connect-the-dot spots!” Finally, the last box arrives, and though the spots don’t match those of his buddies, they are “wrong in the right sort of way.” He decides to wear them proudly. The story ends with a sound piece of wisdom: “So the best spots to choose if it’s friends that you seek, are the spots that you find put a smile on your beak.”

Rhythm and Rhyme

With our summer storytimes in full swing, we’ve been doing tons of reading, rhyming, and singing here at the library. Because listening to the rhythm and rhyming words in songs and rhymes helps kids hear the smaller sounds in words, we try to incorporate as many as we can into our storytimes. These are fun to do at storytime, but they’re great to do at home or in the car, too. We’ve posted some of our favorites on our website so that you can access them from home or when you're on the go. Check them out!

For babies - click here
For toddlers - click here

Rhymoceros

Rhymoceros, by Janik Coat, is a fun, new board book that features an adorable rhyming rhinoceros. The words on each two-page spread rhyme and are illustrated on the pages. On one page, the rhymoceros is lifting heavy weights with the word “strong” underneath. On the adjacent page, music notes flow from the mouth of the rhymoceros, representing “song.” The illustrations are cute; some, like “bumpy” and “furry,” have neat touch-and-feel effects.

Since this is a board book, it’s sturdy enough to use with your littlest readers, but it’s a fun one for preschoolers or even kindergartners, too. Some of the rhyming words might be new ones that will help build vocabulary, like “frilly,” “daring,” “quilted,” and “mossy.” Plus, working on rhymes with kids of all ages is important, since hearing rhymes helps kids break down the sounds in words.

If you like Rhymoceros, you might also like Coat’s other book, Hippopposites. Can you guess what that one’s about? J

1 to 20, Animals Aplenty

This adorably illustrated new addition to our counting books will be a hit with kids of all ages. In 1 to 20, Animals Aplenty by Katie Viggers, each number is represented by a group of animals either doing or wearing something silly that rhymes with the animal name, like “5 goats wearing coats” or “16 chickens reading Dickens.” In addition to the number recognition, counting, and rhyming practice that the book provides, there is a ton of great information about the animals. On several pages, next to the pictures of the animals, are the names of those particular species of animal. For instance, the shark page shows gray reef, hammerhead, blue, and great white sharks. The same is done on pages featuring goats, baboons, pigs, bears, cats, kangaroos, dogs, badgers, and birds. By the time you’re done with this one, your kids will be animal experts, as well as little counting and rhyming machines! J

Nursery Rhymes: Creating a Solid Foundation

These days, it seems that reciting nursery rhymes is a little less commonplace than it has been in the past. This is unfortunate, since learning nursery rhymes has many early-literacy benefits for young children.

First, nursery rhymes expand children’s vocabulary by exposing them to a variety of words that are not used in everyday conversation. What a great, easy way to build your child’s vocabulary!

Through nursery rhymes, children also hear rhyming words, which helps develop phonological awareness. Research shows that children who know rhymes find it easier to learn to read because they are better able to break down the sounds in words.

In addition, most nursery rhymes follow a clear sequence of events. This helps your child start to develop narrative skills and learn the way in which most stories are organized.

Finally, nursery rhymes are so easy to repeat that they can, often times, be some of a child’s first sentences. Even when children are struggling to string together words to form a sentence, they can repeat a nursery rhyme that they've heard often enough to memorize.

If you’re just starting to introduce nursery rhymes to your children, start with shorter ones, like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.” Make sure to be animated to hold your children’s interest. When your children start to learn the rhymes, let them help by stopping to allow them to fill in a word or line. Best of all, since nursery rhymes are recited, you can say them anytime and anywhere—in the car, at the store, while cooking, or before bed. Use your imagination and have fun!

Check out these books for some great nursery rhymes:
My Mother Goose
Will Moses Mother Goose
The Cat and the Fiddle: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes
Mary Engelbreit’s Happy Mother Goose
Hickory, Dickory, Dock and Other Favorite Nursery Rhymes

I Love You Night and Day

A new picture book just arrived that pretty much melted my heart. I Love You Night and Day, by Smriti Prasadam-Halls is a beautiful declaration of unwavering, everlasting love. Besides the adorable illustrations from Alison Brown, there are a few things that make this book a winner.

First, rather than pictures of people in specific roles, like a mother and daughter who look alike, the images in the book are of a purple bear and a blue bunny. Because of this, the book has the potential to reach a much broader audience. It’s one that could be shared between a grandparent and grandchild, siblings, adoptive parents and children, or even friends.

Next, books that rhyme, such as this one, are great to share with your little one, as they help improve phonological awareness. This allows children to hear the smaller sounds in words, a helpful pre-reading tool.

Finally, the book features several different pairs of opposites that are great to point out and perhaps lead to a discussion about other opposites. Some of the ones in the book, too, aren’t ones that we hear every day and can help with vocabulary-building. For example: “I love you big, I love you tough, / When the path is smooth and when it’s rough.”

This book is a great morning, nighttime, or anytime reminder for your child. Enjoy!

Encourage a Breakdown...of Words!

Children who know that words are made up of smaller parts have an easier time tackling new words when they are reading. This allows them to break words into parts to sound out or decode them. Here are some fun, easy ways to help your child understand this concept:

RHYMING – Rhyming is one way that children hear parts of words. This aspect of phonological awareness helps them later in sounding out words. So, make up rhymes when you’re talking with your child. Play rhyming games. Read rhyming books. Encourage your child to come up with rhyming words on his own. Making up silly, nonsense words is okay, too, and will undoubtedly make it more fun!

SINGING – Songs are a wonderful way to build phonological awareness because there are different notes for different syllables. Babies are learning the rhythm of language, and young children are hearing parts of words. So, sing songs to your child. Listen to music. Teach your child songs that she can sing on her own. Sing often, sing everywhere, and don’t worry about singing on key!

CLAPPING – Though any type of clapping is usually pretty enjoyable for kids, clapping out words—one clap for each syllable—helps break down the words, improving your child’s phonological awareness. Clap when you talk, and clap when you sing. Have fun with it!

While, unfortunately, this is not guaranteed to prevent other types of breakdowns from occurring, it is one kind that you can encourage—even in public!