 |
|
|
|
|
Book Reviews
|
August 01, 2010
|
|
| 12/22/2009 10:21:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Little books with big lessons
Book series teaches life lessons to small children
by Darla Welchel
Staff Reporter
I love receiving new children's books to review, especially when they are filled with colorful animal characters.
When I opened Mary Jane McKittrick's self-published book Boomer and Halley: Lost and Found, I discovered not only an engaging picture book for children ages four to eight, but also a book that teaches life-lessons like good manners, taking responsibility, sportsmanship, forgiveness and taking care of pets.
Lost and Found is No. 2 in a series about the antics of an Australian Shepherd named Boomerang and a silver tabby named Halley's Comet. It is intended to be an interactive book shared between parents and children.
"It is a prequel to the first book in the series, Boomer and Halley: Scavenger Hunt," McKittrick said in a telephone interview. "It explains how Boomer and Halley came to live with Harold and Edna Sanders."
In the story, these two unlikely friends were lost in the small town of Shady Pines and were immediately taken in as adoptive four-legged children by Edna and Harold.
My first discovery when I thumbed through the book is that the artwork was in black and white - a disappointment to me, because the thing I love most about children's books is the profuse use of color.
However, after a closer look, I discovered that the images were in fact coloring book drawings. McKittrick includes activities for parents and children to do after reading the story together, one of which is to let the children color their own story.
Another learning tool included in not only Lost and Found, but also in books No. 1 and 3, are PAW prints throughout the book. These little prints show up throughout the story whenever the author wanted to demonstrate important lessons to her audience.
McKittrick has labeled her learning series of books as "Little lessons. Big Results."
In Scavenger Hunt, the first book in the series, Boomer and Halley's human parents come up with an innovative way to keep their "children" entertained on a rain-soaked afternoon - a scavenger hunt.
In book three, Boomer and Halley: Election Day, not only do children get to experience Boomer and Halley on a family shopping trip, but they also learn lessons about treating others with respect during a town hall meeting.
I would recommend these delightful books to parents to read with their children. However, I might suggest reading Lost and Found first as young children might be confused by the prequel format.
The books can be found at Amazon.com for $9.50 or through the author's Web site, boomerandhalley.com. Also on Boomer and Halley's homepage can be found additional fun activities for families.
These books would make excellent stocking stuffers for Christmas.
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
