Star of the Circus: My Little Sister And Me - Hardcover

Rezensionen

PreSchool-Grade 1. A delightful story with a recurring pattern, told in only 28 words. Eight animals with alliterative names (Zany Zebra, Marvelous Mouse, Crazy Kangaroo, etc.) vie for circus stardom. In fact, each creature announces himself as the "star of the circus" only to be driven off the stage by a bigger and fiercer animal who claims the spot. In a clever and surprising conclusion, the smaller characters band together into a fearsome shadow creature and frighten Elegant Elephant off his pedestal. Readers will join in the exuberant laughter that follows his plea for help, and even Elegant Elephant sports a small smile when he realizes the trick. "We're all stars of the circus!" shout the animals in a very satisfying ending. Aruego and Dewey's characteristic vibrant pen-and-ink and gouache illustrations capture the spirit of the story and add to the pleasure. Each animal wiggles with personality in these pictures. The book will be fun to share with groups and will make a nice addition to the pattern books that are so important to beginning readers.?Suzanne Hawley, Laurel Oak Elementary School, Naples, FL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 3^-5. Marvelous Mouse says, "I'm the star of the circus!" but Cannonball Cat disagrees and asserts, "I'm the star of the circus!" This chant is repeated by Dazzling Dog, Crazy Kangaroo, Zany Zebra, Jazzy Giraffe, Big Bear, and Elegant Elephant, each one claiming superiority until, at last, they realize that there's strength in numbers and declare, "We are all stars of the circus." Just as dazzling, zany, and jazzy as the characters' names is the artwork, which features simple line drawings electrified with vibrant color combinations. The climax of the story happens in the illustrations, not in the text, a rare occurrence even in such a visual medium. Children will recognize the repeated sentiment from their own experiences with establishing pecking order. Although teachers and parents may see this as an antidote for one-up-manship among the younger crowd, preschoolers will appreciate it most as an appealing collaboration of words and text. Carolyn Phelan