By Shahrooz Aziminia with Alex Chiu
As we cozy ourselves into the autumn season, it’s an especially wonderful time of year to
cuddle up with your child and read a few good books! It’s never too early to begin reading
to your children, and if you haven’t established a family reading routine, it’s certainly not too late! Consider adding a before bedtime, early morning, or Sunday afternoon reading ritual to promote and instill a love of books and reading within your children. Today we’re sharing with you reviews of a few favorite interactive book collections from Mrs. Aziminia’s PM class, as well as a special extension project you might be inspired to do at home!
Happy fall, and happy falling into a love of reading!
The first time we read Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson was as a group. Together we observed the life cycle of an apple tree unfold through beautiful illustrations as we followed the directions on each page. The actions for interacting with the book are simple: tap the tree and a leaf will appear on the next page, or shake the tree and the blossoms fall off the tree on the next page. Children find interactive books both funny and magical. Taking turns completing each action gives the story a theatrical feel as each child acts out his or her part in the story.
In our class, Tap the Magic Tree has become a favorite book that brightens moods, brings children of different ages together, and acts as a springboard for an apple tree lesson! If you would like to view the book in action, there are YouTube videos available on line. Follow link to view the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otnip3-zDus.
At home, you might be interested in checking out Christie Matheson’s book Touch the Brightest Star, a sweet interactive story that’s perfect for bedtime. As for our class, we are looking forward to reading our next Christie Matheson book- Plant the Tiny Seed!
Another dynamic author whose books our class has enjoyed is Herve Tullet. His most famous books are Press Here and Mix it Up! His artsy, interactive books engage the children’s imagination in a humorous way. His books are fun to read aloud and can engage a wide age range of children. They can be read by children of all reading levels, including non-readers. There are no wrong ways to read these books and no limit as to how silly you can get when you do. If you need some ideas on different ways to deliver the interactions, just watch the author on YouTube. He is a master at igniting imaginations and creating a space where everyone can feel welcomed. Follow this link to see Herve Tullet’s presentation at the Library of Congress’ Young Readers Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNi-3pvLrGM.
So far our class has loved Say Zoop! and I am Blop! In the book Say Zoop!, the reader repeats silly sounds as each dot appears on the page. In I am Blop!, Tullet uses a quatrefoil shape named Blop to tell a story that seems so simple that the children were inspired to create their own. In class, the students set about illustrating their books using Do-A-Dot markers (that mimic Tullet’s signature dot paintings), our quatrefoil and circle Metal Inset shapes, as well as the quatrefoil stamp. This textless book was quick to put together, and the children “read” them to the class afterwards. The simplicity of this project made the creation fun, and the humorous delivery of these authors was nothing short of exhilarating!
The children are already looking forward to creating new stories soon!
My personal favorite Herve Tullet book is The Trail Game. This fantastic book has the child trace a winding path with his or her finger that leads either to the top of the page or to the bottom. The hand-eye tracking involved is a phenomenal pre-reading exercise and a mesmerizing endeavor. These books appeal to and are appropriate for many age levels, which is very Montessori-like! All of the 2 ½- through 5-year-olds in class were enthralled with these selections.
Tullet has been quoted as saying “A children’s book is a book that is going to be read by an adult and a child. My idea is that the book is in the middle where everyone can play, talk, touch, and so on….” We hope that your family enjoys discovering new favorite books of your own where you can ‘play, talk, and touch’ together to bring the books alive and make reading time together memorable. When you do, please share these special finds with your children’s teachers—we are always looking for treasured titles to add to our list!
