RTL: The Gruffalo

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: The Gruffalo
Author: Julia Donaldson

Islamically Appropriate?: No

Genre: Fiction

Book Format: Picture Book

Age Group: 5 years and older

Book Review:The Gruffalo is the story of a little mouse that is strolling through a deep dark wood. On his walk the mouse encounters a hungry fox, an owl and a snake - and all of them want to eat him. Without hesitation, the little mouse tells each animal about a terrible creature called a Gruffalo and thus escapes being eaten.

The rhyme and refrain in this story are both well written and would appeal to children. Unfortunately, the premise of the story is based on the mouse lying to get each creature to leave him alone. 

Until the next read insha'Allaah....

Storytime: One Little Blueberry

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

One Little Blueberry was the book for storytime today.

From Amazon.com:

One little blueberry can cause a lot of trouble! Two ants, three ladybugs, four caterpillars, and more hungry bugs all want it for themselves. Who will get the tasty snack? Learning to count from one to ten is a treat with this lively read-aloud that is sure to surprise! Preschoolers will delight in following the blueberry, highlighted on every page with spot lamination! Sturdy cardstock pages make this book just right for little hands.

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A book that may make for a very fun and funny storytime.

Storytime: Hide & Seek

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Storytime for today was Hide & Seek by Il Sung Na 

Hide & Seek is a story that preschoolers and kindergartners may enjoy very much. Many preschoolers are aware of, or are becoming aware of, how to play the game Hide & Seek so they easily relate to the plight of the animals as they try to decide where they should hide in their forest playground. They may also be able to relate to elephant as he peeks while counting and flamingo has to tell him, "No Peeking!" (Kindergartners may offer tales of how they had to do the same thing when they played Hide & Seek once upon a time).

The story is also very helpful when teaching preschoolers the numbers 1-10 as they can count along with elephant before he heads off to find all of his hiding friends. Children may also enjoy trying to spot the chameleon hiding on each page. 

The illustrations in Hide & Seek are bright and simple; a great combination for a picture book for the preschool child. On each page there is no too much to distract but enough to engage the attention of the child.

**Note: There is one word in the book that needs to be changed when read aloud. On one page an animal says that he will be as still as a statue (not exact wording). This word "statue" is easily changed to "rock" and the meaning of the story is not effected walhamdalillaah.**

Insha'Allaah, your class/children will enjoy reading Hide & Seek.