Sense of Sight

April 1, 2002
PreS-Gr 1-Each text page contains no more than 10 or 11 words in large black font surrounded by white space and facing a full-color photo. At times the picture clues are not very helpful. For example, in Five Senses, the picture for "taste" shows smiling faces and lollipops while the text reads, "We taste with our tongues." In Hearing, readers see a smiling girl holding a conch shell to her covered ear. The text reads, "Hearing helps us know what something sounds like." Many children may not know what she is holding-or what it sounds like. In each title, the "Words I Can Read" section is helpful as a brief index. However, the pronunciation guides are less successful. It is ludicrous to oversimplify the pronunciation of "are" as "(AR)," "tell" as "(TEL)," and "her" as "(HUR)," and it could also confuse new spellers. Pass on these titles.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.