Today's read gave me instant, classic vibes, meaning that the title and the cover looks like a book that would have been enjoyed even when I was a kid (and I'm not going to say when that was). The boy's clothing takes an historical but not-really historical twist with the leggings, tunic, and baseball cap. Or that's what I'm seeing and I might totally be off base on that guess.
Anyway, let's just open it up and see what these animals and boy are up to.
OH DEAR, LOOK WHAT I GOT!
by Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Candlewick
Picture Book
40 pages
ages 4 to 8
COMING SEPTEMBER 2nd!!!
The incomparable creative team behind We’re Going on a Bear Hunt reunite for a read-aloud comedy of misunderstandings that has all the hallmarks of a classic.
I went to the shop to get me a carrot.
Oh dear! They gave me . . .
. . . a parrot.
Oh dear! Look what I got.
Do I want that? No, I do NOT!
As a hapless boy goes from shop to shop, requesting a series of perfectly reasonable items—a hat, a coat, a cake, a chair—he finds himself thwarted at every turn, amassing instead a growing menagerie of animals who happily follow him on his errands. It’s not until he finally asks for a cup that he’s proffered a wriggly creature that solves his dilemma . . . or does it? Adding delicious momentum to Michael Rosen’s rhymes (and mastery of the page turn) are an expressive crew of animal characters rendered as only Helen Oxenbury can, making for a timeless story guaranteed to beg many repeat readings. Oh dear!
I went to the shop to get me a carrot.
Oh dear! They gave me . . .
. . . a parrot.
Oh dear! Look what I got.
Do I want that? No, I do NOT!
As a hapless boy goes from shop to shop, requesting a series of perfectly reasonable items—a hat, a coat, a cake, a chair—he finds himself thwarted at every turn, amassing instead a growing menagerie of animals who happily follow him on his errands. It’s not until he finally asks for a cup that he’s proffered a wriggly creature that solves his dilemma . . . or does it? Adding delicious momentum to Michael Rosen’s rhymes (and mastery of the page turn) are an expressive crew of animal characters rendered as only Helen Oxenbury can, making for a timeless story guaranteed to beg many repeat readings. Oh dear!
MY TIDBITS
Going to the store becomes an adventure in these pages.
A boy heads out shopping, but the stores aren't giving him what he expected to buy. A hat turns out to be a cat and so on. Soon, he has an entire parade of animals and nothing that he wanted, but the fun doesn't stop there.
Written in verse, this is an enjoyable read-aloud, which invites listeners to join in with the repeated text. The surmise is simple yet cute as the boy goes to the store to purchase a specific item and receives a surprise wrapped in brown paper, instead. It's a fun way to work with basic rhyming skills as readers will catch-on and try to figure out what rhymes with the article he's looking for. It flows well and fits nicely to the gentler tones of the illustrations. These images mix humor with seriousness in a delightful way and draw in.
While the book gives off classic flair and hints at fitting the enjoyed category for many years to come, it takes an interesting and surprising twist toward the end, which stuttered against the flow. It took a pause as it wasn't clear what set the actions off, but only for a brief moment. Then, the joyful atmosphere beams through. These last moments add a sense of joy and community but also stuttered against the flow to create a suddenness that almost confused. But it only takes a second to smile and want to join right in with the group. The ending leaves room for thought in a clever way to perfectly round things off.
1 comment:
This looks like a perfect story tie read aloud!
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