Reading is fun, while enjoying some sun!

[Linzi]

“I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o' war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins.” Shel Silverstein.

This award is used to nominate a book with the best rhymes. Children love books with rhymes. They make you laugh! So please find the best book that you would nominate for this award and have fun!

Have nominations done by March 5,2009. Most children's rhyming books will probably range from kindergarten through third grade.

The following quote is from Taberski on creativity, "Reading is what children need to do most, regardless of their stage." (page 19)
Keeping this in mind rhyming is a stage where children go through in their reading and learning years. So please help me in finding some great rhyming books for children.

[Sarah]

I nominated "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein because it is filled with numerous exciting and funny poems perfect for kindergarten through third grade. A lot of these poems have rhymes and funny different words. He introduces characters such as, Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who never took the garbage out and Dirty Dan the worlds dirtiest man. He also includes funny, creative drawings throughout the whole book. This is a book that will stick with children for a long time.

[Darlene]

I nominate "The house that jack built" illustrated by Paul Galdone. This book isn't just a book of poems but it's a story that rhymes the whole way through it. The story line builds as you go. It starts with this is the house that Jack built and adds a line as you turn the pages. There is a rhyme but not every time, then it repeats the lines that you already read.

[Corby]

I nominate "Snowy, Blowy Winter" by Bob Raczka, illustrations by Judy Stead. This book would be wonderful for children in kindergarten. The few words that are on each page give rhyming descriptions of winter time. This book also includes a recipe for snowy, blowy ice cream, sounds delicious. This would be an excellent emergent independent reading book. The illustrations are beautiful. The children will love reading this book.

[[deleted user]]

I nominate "The New Adventures of Mother Goose" by Bruce Lansky. This book is a collection of rhymes from old songs like "Jack and Jill" and "Yankee Doodle". These rhymes have been altered to incorporate different imagination and uniqueness. Instead of Yankee Doodle riding on a pony, he is riding on a dinosaur. Children of all ages would enjoy these rhymes, especially kindergarten through third grade.

[Shannon]

"Silly Sally went to town, walking backwards, upside down!" I nominate "Silly Sally" by Audrey Wood. This book has bright pages that make the story pop. It follows each of Silly Sally's encounters. Sally, appears to be able to coerce anybody into almost anything, and soon has the townspeople walking backwards, upside down. This book deserves to win the Reading is Fun, While Enjoying Some Sun award because it uses rhyming to promote silliness and fun! This book would be perfect for K-3.

[Lori]

I nominate "Wild About Books" by Judy Sierra (Author) and Marc Brown (Illustrator). Written in rhyme, this book is about a librarian who drives a bookmobile and accidentally takes a detour into a zoo. There, the animals gather to listen to the librarian read books from the likes of Dr. Seuss, and begin coming in droves to hear about this new thing called "reading" that is happening at the zoo. This book is written for a K-4 audience, and is an interesting and unique find.

[Ericajean]

I nominate My Momma Likes to Say by Denise Brennan-Nelson for the Reading is Fun, While Enjoying Some Sun Award. This book is full of commonly used expressions that we would consider cliché. Each page can work independently of each other but can also work together. First, it takes a cliché like, “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” and turns it into a rhyme of what a child may think it means. The illustrations coincide with the children’s thoughts and not the actual meaning. What makes the book even better is that in the corners, it describes each phrase in detail with facts. This book could serve very useful!

[Shawn]

I nominate "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" by Pam Adams.

This book rhymes each animal the lady swallows with rhyming words. All throughout the story, the little old lady keeps swallowing larger and larger animals to catch the smaller allowing the children to keep the story humorous.

[Amber]

Cinder-Elly I nominate the book, "Cinder-Elly" by Frances Minters. This book is good for grades 2-4. The story is just a twisted version of the story about Cinderella. I nominated this book because of the fun illustrations and the rhyming that goes along with it. An older story is taken and twisted into a new one. It's a fun twist and would be good for a read aloud.

[Amy]

I nominate "Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs" by Alan Katz. This book of poems are complimented by silly dilly illustrations and can be sung to the tune of familiar children's songs. Oh, they rhyme, and they will likely incite wild laughter among children; therefore, I recommend using with caution.

[[deleted user]]

I nominate "A Light in the Attic" by Shel Silverstein for the Reading is Fun Award. This book is full of silly poems - some that rhyme and some that don't. One of my favorites, though one may want to use this poem with caution, is called "Spelling Bee." This book of fun poetry is suitable for children in grades 1-6, although I found some to be pretty humorous myself!

[Patrick]

I nominate " There's a Wocket, in my Pocket" by Dr. Seuss. This one will be sure to have the children laughing as it's always fun to enjoy a rhyming book. It is a perfect book for a fun read aloud. Perfect for 1st of 2nd graders!

[Linzi]

March 23, 2009



Dear Mr. Raczka,

I am a junior at Penn State University. For our class we were each assigned a topic for a children’s book. We each nominated books for each other’s topic. My category is the best children’s rhyming book.
I have chosen your book titled "Snowy, Blowy Winter." I absolutely love this book. I hope to be able to read this book aloud to children during my student teaching. This book would be great to read during the winter season.
You chose great rhyming words when writing this story. It’s very unique and cute. Cramer writes, “ Rhyme is the most universally recognized poetic device.” Children love rhyming books and this book is a great example of one.
So congratulations on winning the best rhyming children’s book. I hope you enjoy the award.
Sincerely,

Linzi Wilkinson

Woks Cited
Cramer, R. (2001). "Creative Power". New York,NY:Longman Publishing.