Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Sprightly rhymes encourage interactive finger play in this stylishly illustrated poetry collection. Rarely exceeding eight lines, easily remembered experiential verse by Taylor (You're a Poet) riffs on varied subjects, including bubble-blowing, a snake, snow, and a waterslide. With vibrant coloring and a stamped effect, mixed-media art from Woodcock (Little Lion Girl) clearly visualizes poetry-prompted hand motions. Accompanying a piece about a sailing ship, waves ebb and flow, subtly composed of interlocked hands, while portholes encircle a figure making gestures that simulate a sailing vessel ("See this ship./ It's sailing by./ The mast is strong./ Sails are high"). Subjects predominantly include animals (an octopus) and day-to-day actions (tying shoes), while "On my Phone," which mimics common user motions ("I dial numbers"), supplies a contemporary sensibility. It's a singsong volume that gets bodies moving and pages turning. Characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. An author's note opens. Ages 3--7. (Aug.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--Sometimes a poem can be felt in the soul, and sometimes it can be felt in the fingertips! This collection features 35 fun poems that can be acted out with fingers and hands. From a splashy ship sailing to a playful baby penguin, these poems invoke a dynamic way to combine words and body movement. The artwork is beautifully illustrated with softened bright colors and clear depictions of hands, animals, children, and the seasons. Each poem rhymes and has a singsong rhythm to it. With so many poems to choose from, this could make an excellent book to read from cover to cover, or to pick favorite words and movements to act out in music or physical education classes. VERDICT An excellent purchase for elementary library collections where poetry and texts that encourage physical activity are needed.--Molly Dettmann
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Taylor and Woodcock's collection of 35 short rhymes invites children to use their fingers, arms, and even their whole bodies to bring the verses--and their imaginations--to life. The entries range in subject matter from the mundane to the fanciful. Many deal with everyday activities such as teeth brushing, shoelace tying, and cake baking, contrasting with those concerned with more dramatic experiences, including sliding down a water slide and viewing fireworks. Rhymes about sailing on a ship and climbing a tree harness young imaginations, while "On My Phone" wryly encourages children to mimic the harried adults in their lives. Taylor's poems are quickly paced and driven by action ("Stomp like an elephant. / Step like a cat. / Fly like an eagle. / Flitter like a bat"), while Woodcock's illustrations employ crayoned linework and painted and spattered color to portray busy children with varied skin tones, hair textures, and abilities. She cleverly incorporates visual cues into her compositions to suggest actions for the rhymes. In "Snake," a child's undulating arm is encased in a diamond-patterned sleeve, with googly eyes and a forked tongue added just for fun. In "Snow," kids' white-frosted hands stretch like tree branches and join together to mimic pointed roofs. Fingerplays have long been used by children's librarians, teachers, and caregivers to encourage kinesthetic learning and help with transitions during school days and storytimes; this inspired offering will ensure hours of enlightening fun. A fresh, wonderfully creative, and visually engaging array of rhymes to get kids moving.(Picture book/poetry. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
