Teach Me to Love

July 15, 2014
The color photos of 11 different baby animals will produce many oohs and aahs, while the singsong rhymes teach various attributes.The opening spread depicts a mother bear and two cubs. "I will learn. / Teach me, okay? / Show me, show me, / show me the way!" A monkey demonstrates swinging and climbing; a pair of heavy-lidded chicks presumably respond to a lesson in sleeping. Some of the "lessons" pair logically with the animals, but others do not: There are bunnies with "hop" and a cheetah with "run" but also a kitten with "smile." The photo of a mother and baby giraffe is glossed with a no-doubt rhyme-induced injunction to "[t]each me how / to be a friend. / Show me how / to stretch and bend." The photo of a white dog and a black dog carrying a stick together makes the point of sharing. Kids will enjoy the animal photos, particularly those of babies, but it's unfortunate that they are not identified anywhere. Even very young children love to point and repeat a name, but without it in the rhyme or on the page or even the backmatter, that element is missing.While the book is well-intentioned, the "teach me" moments are both forced and too sweet for most palates. (Picture book. 3-5)

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October 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-The minimal rhyming text in this sentimental picture book is accompanied by stock photos creating a contextually poor premise. The photos feature young animals of all types, from giraffes and orangutans to a cuddly kitten. The photos are accompanied by sappy verses like "Teach me to follow./I'll watch you lead./All these things/from you I need" or "Teach me to smile, /I'll smile with you!/Laughs and giggles/all day through." Young children will enjoy the adorable photos and the easy-to-read rhymes for an independent reading or a group read-aloud. However, better books on the natural world abound. This one is too simplistic to be more than a supplemental purchase.-Nancy Jo Lambert, McSpedden Elementary Frisco, TX

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