More Educational Children's Books Reviews!
Media Titles: Pass the Fritters, Critters by Cheryl Chapman; Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley; Shake It To The One That You Love The Best by Cheryl Warren Mattox; Color Dance by Ann Jonas; and It Takes A Village by Jane Cowen-Fletcher
Reviewed By: MargeMod
Content Warning/Spoilers: None
Rating: Full Bouquet out of Full Bouquet
If you think about it, we humans don't come with innate knowledge of anything, so your child needs to learn absolutely everything to survive and thrive. You are probably your child's best teacher simply because you are the person around this new mind the most. In this review, I have pulled together examples of books that teach basic concepts of growing up such as interacting with others, responsibility, colors, foods etc. that are also culturally inclusive. Please, please use every opportunity to expand your child's view of the world. When teaching manners, reach for books like Pass the Fritters, Critters or when teaching colors reach for books like Color Dance. This review includes five books that present basic knowledge such as color identification, community and family interaction.
Media Title: Pass The Fritters, Critters
Author: Cheryl Chapman
Pictures By: Susan L. Roth
Media Type: Soft Cover Children's Book
ISBN: 0-590-47995-4
Topic: Table manners, rhyming
Age Group: Pre-school
Summary: Exceptionally bright graphics invite us to lunch with a child and some interesting animal guests. Until the magic words are used, demands such as "Pass the carrot, Parrot" are answered with a "Forget it!" This book is wonderfully illustrated with fun rhyming phrases that show how asking politely and saying thank you can get you what you want in life, or at least at this particular lunch table.
Review: The illustrations are bold and in a cut-out style that is very appealing. The sing-song phrasing (Thanks for the cider, Spider) will have your child "reading" along with you and recognizing individual words long before they conquer spelling.
Media Title: Everybody Cooks Rice
Author: Norah Dooley
Illustrations By: Peter J Thornton
Media Type: Soft Cover Children's Book
ISBN: 0-590-45597-4
Topic: Multicultural cuisine, cook book
Age Group: Elementary School
Summary: The title says it all - everyone in this neighborhood is cooking rice! Carrie spends the entire book going from house to house looking for her brother. In each home someone is cooking a different rice dish that represents their cultural heritage.
Review: Connecting six cultures in one small neighborhood with their rice dishes is a gentle way to begin talking about cultural differences and similarities. However, even though Carrie visits six families of different ethnicities, there is very little variation in skin tone, in fact everyone in the book looks much too similar. I think the muted colors are a disservice to the story which calls for vibrant representation of faces. The recipes in the back are a nice touch and a great way to introduce foods from another culture using an ingredient (rice) that is so common.
Media Title: Shake It To The One That You Love The Best: Play Songs and Lullabies from Black Musical Traditions
Collected and Adapted By: Cheryl Warren Mattox
Illustrations from the works of: Varnette P. Honeywood and Brenda Joysmith
Media Type: Soft Cover Children's book
ISBN: 0-9623381-0-9
Topic: Children's music, game and song book
Age Group: All ages
Summary: Music and children's games are an integral part of growing up. The author notes that the 26 play songs she has collected for us are not just childhood amusements, but a vital link to her musical heritage as an African-American. Definitely a classroom reference book, it makes me wish that I could read music! In addition to the actual music score we also get multiple verses, as well as instructions for each game.
Review: Even though I can't read music the exuberance of these songs and games comes out loud and clear. The illustration styles of Honeywood and Joysmith are completely different, but work together perfectly. I swear that I can hear the children in Joysmith's pictures laughing-they are so expressive! If you can't read music, find someone who can because this book must be read and sung!
Media Title: Color Dance
Author: Ann Jonas
Media Type: Soft Cover Children's Book
ISBN: 0-590-30040-7
Topic: Child's book of colors and dance
Age Group: Pre-school
Summary: Three little dancers representing the primary colors of red, yellow and blue run, jump and twirl around to visually combine and separate thereby creating all the secondary and tertiary colors.
Review: Sweet, beautiful, happy, simple and fun describe this colorful book. Be prepared because this could be the first time your little reader will see and hear magenta, vermillion and chartreuse. Who knows what creativity will be unleashed! Don't be surprised if your little reader asks for scarves of many colors to dance with and to decorate their space.
Media Title: It Takes A Village
Author: Jane Cowen-Fletcher
Media Type: Soft Cover Children's Book
ISBN: 0-590-46598-8
Topic: African village and marketplace, manners
Age Group: Elementary School
Summary: Spending the day at the market with her little brother gets very complicated for Yemi. Separated from him for a time she worries if he is hungry or thirsty. But he is not because he is under the caring and watchful eye of the merchants. Once Yemi finds her brother, she traces his path backwards and thanks everyone who cared for him.
Review: Even though this story is a bit longer than other books I have selected, it really is worth the trip.The illustrations are amazing and you truly see what a marketplace community looks like and how it operates to collectively care for its children. It is a beautiful story with exceptional illustrations.
CONCLUSION: Helping your child feel comfortable existing in a complex, wonderful beautiful non-monochromatic world is a gift that should be given to every child. Just as you make sure they are safe, have nutritious food and have access to learning, please make sure they recognize and appreciate all members of the human family and can function with grace and dignity when interacting with everyone.
