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40 pp.
| Holt/Ottaviano
| February, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8050-9946-1$17.99
(4)
K-3
Following a presidential decree that "every animal has the RIGHT to play sports. 'That's RIGHT!'," a dozen-odd spreads describe various animals in athletic engagement: "The STEER tried to STEER his skateboard"; "The cougar makes an awful RACKET when she swings her RACKET"; etc. Although this basic introduction to homonyms lacks lyricism, it doesn't lack humor, thanks to Barretta's slapstick but not slapdash watercolors.
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Maria Tina Beddia.
This wacky alphabet book begins with "A is for Aisle" and gets crazier from there. "M is for Mnemonic" but "N is not for Knot," and it's the one time where "X is for Xylophone" actually works! Under each digitally colored ink picture, a related silly sentence includes other words containing the silent letter. Perfect for highlighting how weird the English language can be.
40 pp.
| Atheneum
| May, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4814-8002-4$17.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-4814-8003-1
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Jaime Kim.
This joyful book celebrates a child and caregiver's loving relationship through a day spent at the seashore. With creative use of language, especially homonyms, the poetic text flows from scene to scene: "I am sand. I stick. / I'm a stick. I float. / I'm a float on a fisherman's line." Sunny watercolor and digital illustrations set the mood and clarify the text's meaning.
40 pp.
| Clarion
| March, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-544-39101-7$16.99
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Jennifer Black Reinhardt.
Park and Reinhardt pair animal names with actions. Each double-page spread features a single phrase (e.g., "Flounders flounder") and the definition of the verb form ("to flounder = to be helpless"). Visual humor abounds in the watercolor and ink pictures. The final spread gives the etymological background ("Old English," "Old North French") of each animal name and action.
32 pp.
| Little
| April, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-316-36627-4$18.00
(3)
K-3
A mom takes her son to Coney Island for a birthday surprise. Die-cut holes in the pages offer another surprise: each flip of the page reveals oronyms and a clever picture switch: e.g., "An Ice Man" becomes "A Nice Man" while balloons become ice-cream scoops. Graphic illustrations in red-orange, teal, gold, brown, and ivory recreate a retro amusement park/boardwalk setting.
(4)
K-3
Words Are Categorical series.
Illustrated by
Martin Goneau.
Colorful cats grin in silly scenes to illustrate homonyms and homophones. Jaunty verse demonstrates how the same word can have different meanings in different contexts (homonyms) and how words sounding the same can have different spellings and meanings (homophones). Word pairs are highlighted in color for clarity. The cartooned antics have a hyperactive quality, but the rhyming storybook form makes the language lesson enjoyable.
(1)
4-6
Autistic eleven-year-old Rose lives with her single dad, who doesn't have the resources, material or emotional, to be a parent. Luckily her uncle Weldon has her back; she's soothed by her ongoing collection of homonyms; and she has Rain, her dog--until Hurricane Susan, during which Rain disappears. This could be a tear-jerker. It isn't. Rose is a resilient, honest, and perceptive narrator.
Reviewer: Sarah Ellis
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2014
32 pp.
| Tundra
| February, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-1-77049-376-6$15.95
(2)
PS
"Where do you look for glasses? On a shelf? Or on a face?" This introduction to homonyms pairs its series of questions with generously patterned collage artwork that has an inviting homespun feel, like a patchwork quilt. The book's warmth and cheerfulness impart the message that it's not just toys that can be played with--words can be played with, too.