A book review is an awesome way to find great stories and to read things you wouldn’t normally read. If you are anything like me the first thing I do before making a purchase is check out the reviews on Amazon! Even if I don’t buy it from there I look at the reviews.
Book Review
Kelly Nichols, KCS Kindergarten Teacher, recommended our first book.
Brendan Wenzel, who is a Caldecott award winning author and illustrator wrote the book titled Hello Hello. Mr Wenzel has done a great job of creating a book about animals with a subtle message on interconnectedness. Hello Hello is beautifully illustrated and shows the stark differences between the animals. Yet in an understated way it also shows us there are similarities. An animal glossary is at the end of the book for those little minds that love to learn about animals!
In addition to the animals the words in the story are very simple. Hello, which is an early sight word is on every page. This repetition makes it easy for emergent readers to begin recognizing it by the end of the story. As the children discuss the words on the pages and the animals Vocabulary can easily be expanded.
The illustrations in this story are extremely attractive. These beautiful animals were created using a variety of mediums such as cut papered oil pastels. The colors are bright but not overpowering. It really is a lovely book!
Expanding the story
Some of the animals depicted in the book are on the endangered species list. Therefore, seeing and learning about them is a good way to begin having conversations with children. This helps them to learn about the importance of our global ecosystem and how important it is.
A study and further research about some of the animals is a good activity. The difference between a Sumatran Orangutan and the Orangutan’s at the local zoo is a great undertaking to research.
Recreating some of the colorful animals in the book would be a wonderful creative project. You could also experiment with different mediums to recreate the beautiful creatures.
Conclusion
This book was a great find. I am sure it will soon become one of our favorites. You can order your own copy from Amazon at a very reasonable price!
“Hello Hello spreads its arms wide, introducing the staggering range of species that share the earth – many of them endangered or threatened. Wenzel’s vibrant collaged art and simple rhythms call to mind Eric Carle, with a factual-minded touch.” –The New York Times
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