Read Me a Book

by Barbara Reid, Ian Crysler (Photographer)

Best-selling author and illustrator Barbara Reid has created a colourful celebration of the pleasures of reading to babies and young children, anytime and anywhere. Warm and detailed plasticine illustrations of adults and children reading together join with bouncy, rhythmic verse to invite children and parents to share the joy of reading indoors and out, at any time of day! The perfect gift for new parents, Read Me a Book reminds us that reading to young children is key to the development of literacy and the enjoyment of learning — plus the simple text also makes it great for kids just learning to read back to their parents.

Genres: Picture Books, Canada, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

As a child, Barbara Reid loved reading, drawing, writing and fooling around with plasticine. She kept at it, and has written and illustrated 19 picture books, illustrating more than 25. Her books have been published in over a dozen countries, and her signature plasticine relief illustrations have won many awards including a Governor General’s Award for Illustration and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Her work has been selected for the IBBY International Honour List, Sydney Taylor Notable Books, the Toronto Public Library’s First and Best List and the Ontario Library Association Best Bets. Recently, Picture a Tree received starred reviews in Quill and Quire, the Horn Book, Kirkus and Booklist.

Through workshops and presentations across Canada, Barbara has enjoyed meeting thousands of young readers, writers and fellow plasticine artists. In July 2013 Barbara was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

Barbara’s dimensional artwork is photographed for reproduction by photographer, and husband, Ian Crysler. Barbara lives in Toronto, but is at home in libraries and classrooms everywhere.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son memorized this book word-for-word and began reading it to himself when he was two years old!

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We received this book free in a welcome pack from the Ontario Early Years Centers when our first child was born. It is a great little book about the joy and pleasure of reading. It is one of the first books I read my daughter and she asked for it again and again. The story is written in a rhyming verse that is fun and easy to read. The story is light and bouncy and the illustrations fantastic.

Barbara Reid is a world renowned Canadian author and illustrator. Reid has won just about every Canadian award for children's authors or illustrators, and her unique plasticine illustrations are known and recognized the world over. In this story she not only uses her trademark images to encourage reading and family activities, it's a great little book. Our first copy has been destroyed by use and has needed to be replaced.

[Elanur-Dilara Deneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and bouncy

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the very young it's excellent.

[Bonnie Ferrante · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Barbara Reid has illustrated her book using Plasticine. This creates an interesting feeling of depth. If you are not familiar with her work, don’t assume Plasticine pictures are simple. From the plaid on the grandfather’s shirt to the tiny details shown in each window of a three-story building, Reid astonishes the reader with her three-dimensional, lively, and complex illustrations.

The first page reads “tell me a story,” and shows a woman laying on a rug with a baby sitting on her tummy as she plays with his toes. Each page features an adult engaging a child in the written word. The text has a comfortable rhyming pattern that beautifully matches the illustrations.

The book ends with two pages of tips for parents on engaging their baby with a book. This is another wonderful creation by Barbara Reid.

BonnieFerrante.ca

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Best-selling author and illustrator Barbara Reid has created a colourful celebration of the pleasures of reading to babies and young children, anytime and anywhere. Warm and detailed plasticine illustrations of adults and children reading together join with bouncy, rhythmic verse to invite children and parents to share the joy of reading indoors and out, at any time of day!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story shows that babies need to be read to so they can learn the value of words and reading. The fabulous illustrations made with plasticine show many different situations for reading and finding words.

[Tat]

reading, books, early literacy