Steered us straight out of Orlando and into some genuinely neat stuff. Weeki Wachee Springs and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge were parti...moreSteered us straight out of Orlando and into some genuinely neat stuff. Weeki Wachee Springs and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge were particular treats. Makes me want to go back and explore some more areas/chapters...(less)
Okay, the ribbon thing really does seem like magic. And I imagine it's a good way to teach your kid colors -- right now it's more of an instructional ...moreOkay, the ribbon thing really does seem like magic. And I imagine it's a good way to teach your kid colors -- right now it's more of an instructional device for our daughter to learn how to yank on loose objects.
But I enjoy reading the story to her. The first page, which sets the scene, runs a little long, and she usually opts to skip it.
After that you're into the narrative of a bunny asking his forest friends what comprises a rainbow. Not surprisingly, each animal seems to hype his or her own personal hue as essential, but the logician in me appreciates the phrasing:
"'ORANGE,' said Mr. Fox, swishing his ORANGE tail. You need ORANGE to make a rainbow."
I like how the fox (and the grasshopper, bluebird, et al) list their respective colors as *necessary* conditions for a rainbow, but not *sufficient* conditions. (less)
**spoiler alert** Fun, and my daughter seems to choose it a little more often than the others in her pile.
My only complaints are that it's...more**spoiler alert** Fun, and my daughter seems to choose it a little more often than the others in her pile.
My only complaints are that it's tricky to turn two sets of pages if you're working one-handed, and that it's a stretch to list "dome" as a separate shape from "semi-circle."
Even the (gorgeous) accompanying illustrations seem to further give it away... how different is a lady bug from a flipped-over slice of watermelon, really?
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**spoiler alert** A little repetitive and predictable -- and I'm not sure how I feel about teaching my daughter that bears are willing to share both h...more**spoiler alert** A little repetitive and predictable -- and I'm not sure how I feel about teaching my daughter that bears are willing to share both honey and hugs -- but reliably cute. Our daughter's extra print from her passport picture fit perfectly in the opening.(less)
**spoiler alert** By my own conservative estimation, I have read this book at least ten thousand times. But I'm not that tired of it. The sounds are f...more**spoiler alert** By my own conservative estimation, I have read this book at least ten thousand times. But I'm not that tired of it. The sounds are fun to try and make for your baby, even if it is tricky sometimes to conjure a "clop" that is distinct from your "tock."
Oh, and Dr. Seuss must have had some peculiar Germanic pronunciation of the sound a bee makes, because every indication leads me to believe he wants "buzz" to rhyme with either "bee" or "you."
My buzz sounds nothing like either of those.
Highlight: The "whisper" page, which comes right after thunder and lightning, and obligates you to whisper as softly as possible in your baby's ear. My daughter loves it.(less)
Laugh-out-loud funny stories from a master, in my opinion. Nobody does tongue in cheek gravitas applied to kid life better. Favorite story so far is "...moreLaugh-out-loud funny stories from a master, in my opinion. Nobody does tongue in cheek gravitas applied to kid life better. Favorite story so far is "County Fair!", but they're all pretty similar. BONUS: In just about every one, someone seems to throw up.(less)
Okay, I don't want to launch a career as a stand-up comic. Not hardly. But I've always been fascinated by the craft, and so far this book has been inc...moreOkay, I don't want to launch a career as a stand-up comic. Not hardly. But I've always been fascinated by the craft, and so far this book has been incredibly adept at laying bare the machinations of amazing routines I've long enjoyed and admired.(less)
Oh goodness; I just reordered this to see if I'd love it as much as I did as a kid, and the answer is no. I love it way more. The prose has the perfec...moreOh goodness; I just reordered this to see if I'd love it as much as I did as a kid, and the answer is no. I love it way more. The prose has the perfect tall-tale ring to it, and the illustrations are inspired and inspiring. Never has a storm cloud of hamburgers rolling in over distant fields been captured so perfectly. (less)
I've wanted this for a couple years now, ever since I ran across it in a bookstore and flipped to the chapter on Voluntary Simplicity. We'll see if it...moreI've wanted this for a couple years now, ever since I ran across it in a bookstore and flipped to the chapter on Voluntary Simplicity. We'll see if it changes my life or anything.(less)
So far it's excellent, naturally, as brilliant and insightful and dead-on-the-money as anything else out there and then some, but I'm reserving the up...moreSo far it's excellent, naturally, as brilliant and insightful and dead-on-the-money as anything else out there and then some, but I'm reserving the upgrade to that stubborn fifth star because it doesn't quite, well, warm the soul, you know? I always feel a little better informed and a lot more amused after I read The Onion, but also a little snarkier, and I'm just not sure that's a good thing. (less)
A wonderful story, as apparently everyone else in the world already knows. I had to get over admiring the author's prose, which took several dozen pag...moreA wonderful story, as apparently everyone else in the world already knows. I had to get over admiring the author's prose, which took several dozen pages, before the story really sucked me in, but of course it did. Even by the end, though, even when my heart was breaking for Gogol, I was still occasionally saying to myself "Wow. How beautifully she's telling this." My problem, I know.(less)
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