Today, as part of the Blogging For Books program with WaterBrook Multnomah, I'm reviewing:
by
& Evangeline Denmark
MY TAKE:
I think this is my first review of a children's picture book, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read more by one of my favorite authors. Plus, I collect children's picture books and knew this one would be a good addition. I love a good story and well done illustrations.
The story is fun, with Roger and Padrig's imaginations seeing an owl as a howler monkey and a kitten as a baby leopard, to name a few. I enjoyed the way the two boys encouraged one another to be brave and never made fun of the other for being jumpy at night. It's very cute with a strong underlying message. The illustrations are adorable and are perfect for the story, a very important part of the book as a whole.
I would say it's better suited for older children that read well, or as a story read by an adult to a child. In my mind though, that's a great choice for stocking your bookshelf. Sure, it's very important for kids to practice reading for themselves, but being read to is also very important in their literary growth. Kids that hear words pronounced properly, experience the proper flow and rhythm of a story being read, and see the fun and joy that is brought by sharing a good story with someone else, become better readers. It's also a great way of bonding with a child.
I'm excited to see that Donita K. Paul has expanded her writing genre and look forward to seeing more.
WaterBrook Multnomah want to send your child on their very own backyard safari!
Prize includes:
A Child-Size Tent
2 Sleeping Bags
And Much More!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Roger the turtle and Padraig the dragon are together again for their second adventure, The Dragon & the Turtle Go on Safari, by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark, illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Roger and his new friend, Padraig go on a camping trip and have all kinds of adventures together.The friends brave the night and hear all sorts of sounds from the jungle as they learn more about what it means to be a real friend.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
A former schoolteacher, DONITA K. PAUL is the best-selling author of the Dragon Keeper series, The Vanishing Sculptor, and Dragons of the Valley. She enjoys cooking, beading, stamping, knitting, and her grandsons. Not necessarily in that order.
The daughter of novelist Donita K. Paul, EVANGELINE DENMARK grew up living and breathing good stories. Now she enjoys fiction writing and loves to share Roger and Padraig stories with her own two rambunctious boys.ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
New Jersey-based professional artist and illustrator, VINCENT NGUYEN has worked on such movies as Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and Robots. His whimsical style brings Roger and Padraig to life on the page.
3 comments:
Thanks, April, for the review. And you are so right about children needing the "read to" step in their journey toward reading. I am amazed how many reviewers have missed that component and criticize the book because their five year old can't "read" it. You hit the nail on the head. They are learning the language of the written word. Without practice visualizing the story they hear, they will be way behind in comprehension when they start to read for themselves. I'd like to invite you and your readers to www.dragonandturtle.com We have two contests going and both end in February. There are activity pages for kids and info pages for adults.
Great review!
Thank you, Donita. I'm glad I was able to point out something others might have missed.
And Thank You, too, Henya. I'm glad you liked the review. I hope you have a chance to read the book if you haven't already. It's worth it. :)
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