How to develop reading habit in children? And how would they learn to read if they never given the opportunity? Bedtime stories are the first step in encouraging children to read. Let them know a few interesting stories or a part of it, and let them read the rest by their own. However, uninteresting text won’t help much. Give them items that suitable for them; simple words and colourful story book, which will encourage them in learning new words and understand more! Here is the review of the popular children’s book, Edwina the Emu and The Gruffalo.
Book 1: Edwina the Emu
What book are you going to read to your children today? What book should you buy for them? Perhaps Edwina the Emu would be great for children that already pick up words at the level of 7-9 years old. So what’s the story about?
Edward and his mate Edwina are the proud parents of ten little emu eggs. "Don't get depressed. I'll find a job, you stay on the nest," says Edwina to her stunned mate. And so Edwina sets out to find a job in this light-hearted offering from down under. However, things come and press her with the reality that she just an female emu that need to take care of her little baby-to-born soon. mWow! The woman plays a big role to the family huh? Is it a good idea or love for the family is the foremost thing to put up in a mother’s thought?
Well, this rhythmic, rhyming verse Edwina the Emu by Sheena Knowles and hilarious illustrations by Rod Clement make this an entertaining picture book that is sure to find a place in the hearts of readers everywhere, mostly the children. With the record of about almost 70 000 sales, this 32 pages book would win the heart of all readers, mostly the children.
Book 2: The Gruffalo
Gruffalo? What is Gruffalo? Is it an animal? The first time I heard about it was in Dr. Jayakaran’s class. Well The Gruffalo is a children's book by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, that tells the story of a cunning mouse. The protagonist of The Gruffalo is a mouse. The mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger.
On his way the mouse encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an owl, and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intent on eating the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he has plans to dine with his friend, a Gruffalo, whose favorite food happens to be the relevant animal, and describes the features of the Gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the Gruffalo might eat it, each animal flees. Knowing the Gruffalo to be fictional, the mouse gloats, thusly:
Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn't he know?
there's no such thing as a Gruffalo!
After being quit of the last animal, the mouse is shocked to encounter a real Gruffalo – with all the frightening features the mouse thought that he was inventing. The Gruffalo threatens to eat the mouse, but again the mouse is cunning: he tells the Gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest. Laughing, the Gruffalo agrees to follow the mouse as he demonstrates how feared he is. The two walk through the forest, encountering in turn the animals that had earlier menaced the mouse. Each is terrified by the sight of the pair and runs off – and each time the Gruffalo becomes more impressed with the mouse's apparent toughness. Exploiting this, the mouse threatens to eat the Gruffalo, which flees.
This story was written in rhyming couplets, featuring repetitive verse with minor variance. The book has sold over 10.5 million copies, has won several prizes for children's literature, and has been developed into play. What I like about the book is, it tells the children that being small do not mean they are weak. By using their intelligence and intellectual also they could survive in life thus overcome their lack in physical attributes. I myself also very enthusiastic on the way Julia Donaldson wrote the story, and as a future teacher I will suggest this book to the parents to read it as a bedtime story or just buy it to their kids! No doubt this book is really, really enjoyable one.
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