Lee, Spike and Tonya Lewis Lee. 2005. PLEASE, PUPPY, PLEASE. Ill. by Kadir Nelson. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780689868047
PLOT SUMMARY:
Patterned after their earlier book, PLEASE, BABY, PLEASE, this husband and wife team present a pair of pre-schoolers tending to a rambunctious, new puppy. Similar to the parents following after the toddler, the children chase the puppy into the backyard as he runs away, jumps in the mud, gets a bath, runs away again, shakes off the soapy water onto the cat, and retrieves a ball.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
The sparse text tells the story in rhyming phrases and different combinations and repetition of the words in the title. On one page the refrain is "puppy, puppy, please, puppy", but on the next page it is "puppy, puppy, puppy please". The lack of consistency dampens participation in "reading along", one of the strongest characteristics of a rhyming picture book. Mr. Nelson's illustrations are warm in color and rich in composition. There is wide variety in the perspectives (including the puppy's point of view) that draws the viewer into the action.
REVIEW EXCERPTS:
Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2005
"Two adorable African-American preschoolers, a boisterous puppy and a marmalade cat are the characters in the exuberant story suitable for children from toddlers to those just learning to read a few words on their own."
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December 2005
"This is perfect storytime material for audiences who enjoy both awwws and action."
CONNECTIONS:
*Other books for children about dogs:
Hughes, Sarah. MY DOG. ISBN: 9780763609016
Lewis, Kim. LITTLE PUPPY. ISBN: 9780763609016
Reinen, Judy. BOW WOW: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DOGS. ISBN: 9780316832908
Ward, Cindy. COOKIE'S WEEK. ISBN: 9780516231846
*This book could be used in activities to develop phonological awareness, in which children hear and understand different sounds of spoken language. There is a very strong "p" sound in the refrain, "puppy, puppy, please, puppy".
No comments:
Post a Comment