Chicka Chicka Boom Boom....A Lively Alphabet Book
Written: Mar 04 '02 (Updated Mar 05 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Wonderful Illustrations, lively and fun to read, Alphabet teaching made easy
Cons: ~~~
The Bottom Line: I recommend this book for a fun and quick read, for children 3 and over.
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| kamel622's Full Review: |
What better way is there to help children to learn the alphabet than to read a book that will get them involved….and reading along with you.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is such a book. It is a colorful and fun story about all of the letters of the alphabet climbing to the top of a coconut tree.
The Story
This is a book without a whole lot of story behind it, but what there is holds children’s attention from beginning to end.
Our story starts out with :
A told B, and B told C,
“I’ll meet you at the top
of the coconut tree.”
The rest of the alphabet follows along, climbing up the tree until……Oh no….
Chicka Chicka BOOM! BOOM!
As the letters all bring the trunk of the tree down with their weight, these nonsensical words about the catastrophe are written:
Skit skat skoodle doot.
Flip flop flee.
Everybody running to the coconut tree.
Mamas and papas
And uncles and aunts
Hug their little dears,
Then dust their pants.
As all the letters keep getting up after their fall, slowly the coconut tree returns to its upright position.
the sun goes down on the coconut tree….
But---
Chicka chicka boom boom!
Look, there’s a full moon.
In the darkness our little a is out of bed and double daring the letters to another race up the tree.
The Illustrations
One of the things that I think that makes this book so inviting to children 2 – 6 years old, is the bright and fun illustrations.
The first page, before our story even begins is a full two page spread of the alphabet, in bright colored upper and lower case letters. Also the last two pages of the book are done in this same style. I think this would help in teaching children how to read the letters, making reviewing them together fun and cheerful.
The outer edges of each page have a border in pink with yellow polka dots on it, or yellow with pink polka dots. That sets each page with a brilliant shot of color. The coconut tree is a black trunk with dark green palm fronds and several brown coconuts dangling down.
Each page also has block letters of the alphabet in bright colors, in various stages of climbing up the tree.
My Feelings
I would recommend this book, for children over the age of two. The bright and colorful illustrations will surely appeal to most children…and adults too!
The way this is written, you can really get a melodic pattern going as you read, making it even more interesting to read and to listen to.
I feel that it is an educational and fun book, that works well in the day care setting, as well as a great book for parents to read to their little ones.
The cassette tape has a brief message by the author of how he came to write this book, along with a little song that the beat is taken from….that is followed by Ray Charles reading the story. The funny thing is, my five year old Grand daughter Toria really does not like his voice. I think that perhaps the deep tone is a little frightening to her. I’m sure when she is grown, and we remind her of this fear, she’ll think that we are making it up as she comes to appreciate what a wonderful man Ray Charles is.
I would like to highly recommend this book to parents and teachers…it is a simple story…but a wonderful one and a great teaching tool.
Nuts and Bolts
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was written by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. The wonderful illustrations were done by Lois Ehlert.
This book is 40 pages of lively and fun reading that would be appropriate for children from 2 to about 6 or 7 years old.
Text and Illustration Copyright is 1989 and published by Scholastic Inc. by arrangement with Simon and Schuster for young readers.
ISBN # 0-590-43889-1
The paperback book and cassette tape that my daughter owns came from ordering through Scholastic, in a set of four books with tapes. I have to estimate what I think the cost would be if bought through Scholastic. I believe this Paperback book would run approximately $4.00 and the corresponding tape, which is read by Ray Charles with a lot of enthusiasm in his deep wonderful voice would run another $5.00 or $6.00. I’ve tried searching throughout the Scholastic Website for any additional information on the price of this book through them, but at this point they do not have their online store open yet…but there is a note that they will be making online purchasing available soon. The address is:
http://www.scholastic.com/
The hardback book may be found at Barnes and Noble for $12.00 or at Amazon.com for $13.96.
Also available, for $9.95 through CDAccess.com is software for the computer with on screen digitized video, with all the original lyrics. The computer requirements are:
**Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 or higher, 256 color Super VGA graphics, 8 MB of RAM, 66 MHz 486 or faster, double speed CD-ROM drive, mouse and hard drive, Windows compatible sound card, microphone recommended.
Macintosh: System 7.1 or higher, Motorola 68040 or Power PC processor, 8 MB RAM, minimum 14" 256 color monitor, double speed CD-ROM drive, microphone recommended
The music can also be played on your home audio CD player.
** taken from the website CDAccess.com
Recommended:
Yes
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