Tag Archives: book review

Keep The Kids Reading $50 Giveaway!

Do you have trouble keeping your children reading over the Summer? With all of the fun things to do for the little ones, sometimes we forget to keep them reading during the summer break to ease their transition back into school during the fall.

Luckily, we have a solution for you that might help…

How about some NEW books?

We’ve teamed up with Erin Howard – Mom Blogger and Editor at OnceAMomAlwaysAMom.com to get the word out to other moms and parents alike about our Free $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway to be used at LanguageLizard.com!

 

At Language Lizard we are providing award-winning books and resources for children in 40+ different languages. Teachers, schools, moms, dads & grandparents are encouraged to enter this Free Giveaway. This Giveaway is open to USA & Canada residents, and it will run until July 3, 2013 so enter below today.

It’s free to enter and oh so easy! GOOD LUCK!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

photo credit: Morgan @ flickr. com

Bilingual Book Review: The “Our Lives, Our World” Series

In continuation of our celebration of The Bilingual Child Month, we’d like to share with you a review of three bilingual books that explore and celebrate global diversity. Read these books with your students to help them appreciate children just like them from around the world.

Goal! Let’s Play! – written by Joe Marriott and illustrated by Algy Craig Hall
Yum! Let’s Eat! – written by Thando Maclaren and illustrated by Jacqueline East
Brrmm! Let’s Go! – written by Julie Kingdon and illustrated by Leo Broadley
Paperback Ages 2-6
Review by Maureen Pugh

These three books comprise the “Our Lives, Our World” series, which explores the rich diversity of children’s lives and develops a worldwide perspective. Although the books are written and illustrated by different people, the series does have a cohesive style.

Each book introduces eleven children from eleven different countries, and every child is given a two page spread that introduces the child, and illustrates what the child is describing. The children are introduced with “my name’s Charlie …” or “I’m Abeba…”, so the text repeats the introductory phrases that we all want our children to be familiar with.

The text goes on with simple sentences, which contain mostly commonly-used vocabulary (and some new vocabulary), such as “I’m Khaled. We eat couscous and lamb tagine when we visit Grandpa.” Another example is “My name’s James, I play tennis with my family every weekend.”

Not surprisingly, Brrmm! Let’s Go! focuses on vehicles (bicycle, helicopter, tuk-tuk) and action verbs (to ride, to fly), while Goal! Let’s Play! introduces popular sports played in the country (ie, India – cricket, and Switzerland – skiing). Yum! Let’s Eat! depicts favorite foods from around the world.

Continue reading Bilingual Book Review: The “Our Lives, Our World” Series

Bilingual Book Review: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Illustrated by Annie Kubler
Hardcover
Ages 0-3
Review by Maureen Pugh

This sturdy, oversized (it runs a little over 8 inches square) board book brings the classic song to life with a couple of giggle-producing twists – at least they made my 5-year old giggle!

The text runs through the classic poem three times, changing the ending the second and third times through. Toddlers will love the last verse, which has the reader row the boat to the “shore,” and then ends with ”if you see a lion, don’t forget to roar!”

Although this book is targeted to the under-three crowd, personally I have found that dual language board books have served me well beyond the toddler years. The repetition helps reinforce the language skills I am trying to teach, and sometimes it is nice to have a shorter book to read.

Continue reading Bilingual Book Review: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Bilingual Book Review: Lion Fables

Lion Fables
Written and illustrated by Jan Ormerod
Paperback
Ages 4-9
Review by Maureen Pugh

This book contains both the Aesop’s fable The Lion and the Mouse, as well as the Malaysian fable The Hare’s Revenge. The stories are retold and illustrated by award-willing author and illustrator Jan Ormerod. The Lion and the Mouse tells the familiar tale of a little mouse, who captured by the self-acclaimed “King of the Beasts,” bargains for his life with an offer of friendship and aid should the lion ever have need of him. Amused by the offer, the lion lets the mouse go, never thinking he actually will need the aid of such a small creature. Yet in only a matter of days, the lion is captured in a hunter’s net. The mouse sets the lion free by nibbling the rope in two, and the lion is humbled and grateful. Continue reading Bilingual Book Review: Lion Fables