Bobby Baboon's Banana Be-Bop

May 1, 2010
K-Gr 1-Each book introduces a student in teacher Alpha Betty's class. Alexander wants to be in the talent show so his friends Anna Anaconda and Albert Alligator help him develop a balancing act. Bobby Baboon is carrying bananas to school for a treat and gets help counting and eating them from Bubba Bear, Barnaby Badger, and Buster Buffalo, after a little bullying. Corky Cub and his friend Connie Cougar always wear matching caps. He is sad when she moves away, but his teacher and parents help him make new friends and new caps. Dilly Dog's dangerous dancing drives everyone away, and on it goes. Each book has lots of alliteration and silliness. Some of the writing is a little forced to incorporate the correct letter. Also, the books are unlikely to develop a following among children because the characters do not continue from book to book. Each one concludes with facts about the featured animal and related activities. Reading all 26 books or doing follow-up with each letter will provide continuity, but also potential boredom."Erlene Bishop Killeen, Stroughton Area School District, WI"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 3-Each gently humorous story in this series emphasizes a specific letter of the alphabet. This volume, written by Barbara deRuberts and illustrated by R. W. Alley, deals with the letter "B." Bobby Baboon is on his way to school with a tub of bananas. He meets other animal kids along the way-a badger, a bear, and a buffalo. They figure out how many bananas are needed for the class and how many are extra. The math aspect of the story is quite simple, but a nice touch. The message of working together and sharing is also worthwhile. It should be noted that the story focuses not just on alliteration, but on how the letter "B" sounds at the beginning, middle, and end of a word. Alley's bright watercolor-and-ink illustrations are appealing and suit the story well. The author reads the story with a smile in her voice, and emphasizes the bounty of bouncing "B's" in the book. Audio quality is excellent. Teachers will like using the series to enrich student understanding of letter sounds, and listeners will enjoy it for the story as well.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.