by Alethea Kontis, illustrated by Bob Kolar
Yes, it’s an ABC book, but not in alphabetical order. This time H goes first to set the stage — and stage would be the right word here — for Halloween words. The letters themselves portray the words or concepts, so you’ll find the letter P with an eyepatch and sword and D with horns and forked tail (see, they’re a pirate and a devil!). Along with the spooky, Halloween-themed words, the reader enjoys some backstage banter among the characters. Bright illustrations make this fun to share, but know your audience before you blurt out “U for Undead.” Just fair warning.It feels strange to review a Halloween book just before Thanksgiving, but for the purposes of the ABC Giveaway I wanted to put together a mini-library for year-round entertainment. Plus, if you start ABC Storytime at the beginning of a school year, you will probably hit the letter H around Halloween, so it works. Moving on.
Yeah, there is no easy way to give this book as a gift this holiday season, so just check out 105 other ways to give a book.
The Letter H
Book: Harry’s Home, by Catherine and Lawrence Anholt
Fingerplay: “Houses”
Here is a nest for robinBook: Happy Bees, by Al Yorinks
(Cup your hands.)
Here is a hive for bee
(Put your fists together.)
Here is a hold for bunny
(Form a circle with your hands.)
And here is a house for me.
(Form a peak with your hands.)
Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
Book: I Call My Hand Gentle, by Amanda Haan
Fingerplay: “Open, Shut Them”
Book: Hamsters to the Rescue, by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Rhyme: “Hickory Dickory Dock”
Hickory, Dickory DockAlternate Books: Little Hoot, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; Hiding Hoover, by Elise Broach; Hungry Hen, by Richard Waring
The hamster ran up the clock.
The clock struck one
And down he run.
Hickory, Dickory Dock.
(I tell them I’m replacing the traditional mouse with a hamster.)
Go here for more on how to win twenty-five picture books in the ABC Giveaway.
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I love using HUNGRY HEN! The kids are always surprised by the ending. Some other oldies but goodies, A HOUSE FOR HERMIT CRAB and HATTIE AND THE FOX.
ReplyDeleteOoh, good list, we use a lot of those. I like reading Pinkwater's "The Big Orange Splot" with "The Araboolies of Liberty Street" by Sam Swope(houses/homes) and then having the kids design their dream house on paper.
ReplyDeleteI like using Hattie & the Fox, too. Other good books are Hello, Day by Anita Lobel, Heave Ho! by Heinz Janisch, Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord, & Hugless Douglas by David Melling.
ReplyDeleteI always think of heads and hats when I think of the letter "H." Some favorites: "The Magic Hat," "The Hat" by Jan Brett.
ReplyDeleteI love The Hello, Goodbye Window (Norton Juster). So so great.
ReplyDeletewhat about horsies?
ReplyDelete(and there's Horton Hears a Who, which is a lovely book, even though it has no horsies....)
I have all kinds of love for "Heckedy Peg."
ReplyDelete- AZ
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins
ReplyDeletecatherine(dot)alley(at)gmail(dot)com
I love this sound of this ABC book with a twist!
ReplyDeleteMy contribution would be the joke from Knock Knock, by Sophie Blackall:
Knock, knock
Who's there?
Henrietta
Henrietta who?
Henry etta whole cake, and now it's all gone!
Happy Turkey Day! Hope there's plenty of pie and cake to go around!
I love Karma Wilson and her book "Hilda Must Be Dancing" would be a great 'H' book! I also love "A House For Hermit Crab" and "The Magic Hat" as your other readers do :)
ReplyDelete