________________ CM . . . . Volume XV Number 14. . . .March 6, 2009

cover

Monkey World.

Matthew Porter.
Vancouver, BC: Simply Read Books, 2008.
54 pp., hardcover, $17.95.
ISBN 978-1-894965-95-8.

Subject Headings:
Monkeys-Juvenile poetry.
Alphabet rhymes.

Preschool-grade 5 / Ages 4-10.

Review by Carrie Subtelny.

**** /4

   

excerpt:

Lula is a hula hooper;
Her red hoop she thinks is super.
Lula loves her poodle, too.
They stick together just like glue.

 

Monkey World is an alphabet book, and both primary and elementary aged students would benefit from its 'teaching' aspect of letter/sound matching as well as delight in the creative rhyming patterns and zany monkey portraits. In addition, the poetry on each page provides an exemplar for junior high and high school students. Finally, the unique art work would inspire any student to create pictures and images using varied materials. Apparently, Porter paints images on pine boards that were sanded to highlight texture and then finished with veneer. The final pictures are hip and funky; lovable and fun!

internal art     Each letter comes with a fantastic poem with a parallel picture, both reflecting the occupation Porter names. My 10-year-old son and I had the greatest time trying to guess what occupation Porter chose for each letter. What did he come up with for v? What occupation starts with h? Monkey World is a must for every child's bookshelf, every school library and every classroom. A charming, unique and delightful collection!

Highly Recommended.

Carrie Subtelny is a Reading Clinician with the Inner City District in the Winnipeg School Division in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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