Tongue Twisters=Word Fun

Books that mimic the sounds of machines or musical instruments, or that feature the sounds that animals make, are a great way to tune your child's ear to the sounds of letters and words, a helpful pre-literacy skill. And, for four and five year olds, nothing beats tongue twisters for hours of fun playing with words. Kids will revel in testing their ability to articulate these funny phrases, and they'll probably want to test you too!

One of the best books on tongue twisters I've seen lately is Six Sheep Sip Thick Shakes and Other Tricky Tongue Twisters by Brian P. Cleary. It features 22 original twisters, each whimsically illustrated. Best of all, at the back of the book Cleary shares tips on how to make your own tongue twisters! For other books on tongue twisters click here. Have fun!

Little White Rabbit

Little White Rabbit is full of imagination. As he hops along one morning exploring his world, he begins to wonder: What would it be like to be as green as the grass? What would it be like to be as tall as a tree? Each question is followed by a beautiful two-paged illustration that brings Little White Rabbit's imagination to life. Children will want to pause over Henkes' boldly outlined pictures because there is a lot to talk about in each one.

Although we really are able to observe and get a sense of a child's make-believe play around the time they are two or three, the development of pretend play begins as early as year one. While Little White Rabbit really shines as a catalyst to further make-believe play for preschoolers around ages three and up, it's also a great cuddle-up book for parents and toddlers.

Along with Little White Rabbit, Kevin Henkes has written many other wonderful children's books such as A Good Day, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and 2005 Caldecott winner, Kitten's First Full Moon. Henkes is an author your child can grow with since he has published everything from boardbooks to late elementary level novels. Reading, talking and imaginative play are essential to early literacy skill development. Check out Kevin Henkes and see what conversations and fun his books can inspire at your house today!

~Miss Robin