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Balancing Act
Two mice make a teeter-totter. They're balancing just fine, but then along comes a frog. Can they make room for one more friend on their teeter-totter? What about two? What about more? But then a big bird comes along and wants to play too. Better watch out!
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
September 21st 2010
by Beach Lane Books
(first published 2010)
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We've been reading Mouse Paint, a seemingly simple (sometimes I find it boring, sometimes elegantly simple) book about colors, regularly in this household since 2004, but only recently have we delved into the author/illustrator's slightly lesser-known, but also mouse-themed book about balancing. Walsh does frogs jumping clumsily onto improvised teeter-totters better than any illustrator I've ever come across, or likely ever will. Having read it once aloud to my non-reading son, not stinting on t...more
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Two mice are playing on a teeter-totter, experimenting how to make themselves balanced. They've got it all figured out until a salamander wants a turn. Joined by lizards, frogs, and even birds, the two mice find creative ways to continue to balance on the teeter-tooter...until, it breaks. Everyone leaves to find something else to do, but the mice continue to play at their balancing act.
"Balancing Act" is appropriate for ages 2+.
This book is a great way to introduce children to the concept of ba...more
"Balancing Act" is appropriate for ages 2+.
This book is a great way to introduce children to the concept of ba...more
Two mice put together a stick and rock to make a teeter-totter. With one mouse on each end, they balance. But when a salamander wants to join in, the teeter-totter tips, until another salamander comes along. When one frog jumps in, the teeter-totter really tips, but balance is restored with another jumping frog coming on. Trouble comes along though when a bird wants to join in too. For a little while there is balance with all of the animals on one side and the bird on the other. But then the wei...more
"Balancing Act" us a picture book that uses mice and other animals to help teach the concept of balance to young children. The illustrations for this book are rendered in cut paper and splattered with acrylic paints. The cut-outs appear against a white background in double page spreads. In the story the mice make a teeter-totter out of a stick and rock. This illustration is on every page throughout the story but differs in angles. The rock is placed in the gutter on every page to invite your eye...more
Mommy's review from 10/29/11 -
I'd like to rate this higher - if we'd read this when Julia was about two years old than I probably would. Julia loves, loves, loves picking out books for herself but she's still new to it and has no problem walking out of the library with a book meant for a toddler. She's actually just now getting the hang of find age appropriate books for herself now that she's using the library at her kindergarten without Mommy there. :)
I can't think of the title but this remind...more
I'd like to rate this higher - if we'd read this when Julia was about two years old than I probably would. Julia loves, loves, loves picking out books for herself but she's still new to it and has no problem walking out of the library with a book meant for a toddler. She's actually just now getting the hang of find age appropriate books for herself now that she's using the library at her kindergarten without Mommy there. :)
I can't think of the title but this remind...more
Cute cause-and-effect book about two mice and their other animal friends trying to balance on a stick. I really like all the concepts you can introduce to a child when you're reading this. I also like the possibilities to encourage their narrative of what's happening in the pictures. Great for a lapsit or encouraging a group of preschoolers to wonder what's going to happen next.
Walsh's style in this book, is similar to Ian Schoenherr's in that they both use a small amount of words to convey a l...more
Walsh's style in this book, is similar to Ian Schoenherr's in that they both use a small amount of words to convey a l...more
Jabber and Dot, two mice, learn about the mysteries of maintaining balance. Others join the fun and lots of shifting ensues... The illustrations are done through paper cutouts, and are very simple, colorful and easy to interpret. A great little book for toddlers.
We find Dot and Jabber in another story, but this time, in "Dot and Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery" they are detectives. They follow the clues and learn that acorns can travel by way of squirrels, and oak trees can thus grow far, one...more
We find Dot and Jabber in another story, but this time, in "Dot and Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery" they are detectives. They follow the clues and learn that acorns can travel by way of squirrels, and oak trees can thus grow far, one...more
Funny & dramatic, & cute, concept book for toddlers, from an author known for such. I like that it's physically small enough that the child can hold it herself (but not so small it will get lost in the bin at the library).
Even if you don't have a teeter-totter or scales you can do as the mice did and balance a stick across rocks. If you want to stack paperclips and pennies try a ruler across a slightly smooshed ball of Play-Dough.
Kids are born to learn - share the joys of experimentatio...more
Even if you don't have a teeter-totter or scales you can do as the mice did and balance a stick across rocks. If you want to stack paperclips and pennies try a ruler across a slightly smooshed ball of Play-Dough.
Kids are born to learn - share the joys of experimentatio...more
This deceptively simple picture book nails the concept of balance for the PreK-1st graders. This would work great in a classroom setting to teach simple machines. Through appealing cut paper illustrations, Walsh tells the story of two mice teeter-tottering on a stick. Slowly, more animals join the party, throwing everything off-balance. When the stick eventually breaks, our heroes show their resourcefulness, and are soon teeter-tottering again. Not a word or image is wasted. - T
I love Walsh's mice and her gorgeous cut-paper illustrations! Two mice make a teeter-totter with a stick and a rock for a fulcrum, and with just the two, it balances. But more friends want to play, and they must find ways to still make it balance. This is perfect for a math unit, especially if you have scales (or a teeter-totter!) for kids to experiment with after.
When several other creatures try to join in the fun as two mice balance on a teeter-totter, this story becomes a fun way to show the concept of weight and balance--and also of cooperation and teamwork. The illustrations were not my favorite style, but I appreciated the cut-paper work.
I love the simplicity of Ellen Walsh's books. Those who loved Mouse Paint for its engaging art and ability to teach a concept, will love Balancing Act as well. I already have a list of young scientist I need to share it with. Better buy another copy.
Jan 05, 2012
Horace Mann Family Reading Challenge
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
2-012-in-2012,
picture-book
I love the simplicity of Ellen Walsh's books. Those who love Mouse Paint for its engaging art and ability to teach concepts will love Balancing Act as well. I all ready have a list of young scientist I need to share it with. PK
Deceptively simple- two mice a balanced on their teeter totter when their friend come along and want to play.
A bit reminiscent of the Mitten, this introduces balance and the very beginnings of algebra to kids.
A bit reminiscent of the Mitten, this introduces balance and the very beginnings of algebra to kids.
All about balance. When you add one animal to one side, you have to add another. I loved that the last balancing act was uneven (several animals = one bird), showing that balance doesn't have to mean even sides.
Two little mice make a seesaw and are enjoying the perfect balancing act until their animal friends want to jump on one side or the other of the seesaw. Illustrations are textured and printed paper die-cuts.
Literacy skills:
Narrative skills-This book helps children understand the concepts of balanced and unbalanced and provides the opportunity for discussion which builds narrative skills.
Narrative skills-This book helps children understand the concepts of balanced and unbalanced and provides the opportunity for discussion which builds narrative skills.
Ellen Stoll Walsh continues to write great little books that can be used to teach a lesson (in that case about balance) but more importantly are a fun read for anyone who picks them up.
This is a great little book to help teach your little one about "balance." Mice are having fun on their teeter-totter, until lots of other animals come to join the fun!
My four year old daycare student liked the pictures and could predict which way the teetet totter would go next. Good science book.
Equilibrium for two year olds! Featuring cute chubby mice and other little critters. Very short and useful for making predictions.
Great book to use to introduce weight and balance.Great book to use to introduce weight, balance and/or simple machines.
I had read Natalie two other books about these mice, and my favorite is still Mouse Paint. Still, this is a cute book that introduces the idea of balancing and weight. The animals are all colorful and cute.
Grades Pre-K to 2. Very simple demonstration of weight and balance/physics. Great way to introduce the concept.
Cute illustrations and neat way to look at weights and balance. Would be good for a preschool math lesson.
Not as enjoyable as previous mice-led adventures but sure to appeal to the youngest of story time crowds.
Cute, simplistic picture book about sharing. The mice were so adorable. Their friends - not so much
cute paper collage illustrations. liked the very basic story about the concept of balance.
Adorable, great for teaching the concept of weight to preschoolers.
A really great book shows us how love is great and worth to die for
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