A great book review for you

Children's Book Review by Susan Stephenson

Do you love word play? Have you taught your kids to enjoy word play too? If you're looking for a children's picture book that will start a lucky pre-schooler off on the road to becoming a logophile, look for Parrot Carrot. Written by Jol and Kate Temple, and illustrated by Jon Foye, it was published by Allen and Unwin (2011).

This book will make you giggle every time you read it! It takes a very simple concept - what would happen if you mixed an animal with an object? - adds some kooky illustrations and a strong design sense to create a book with lots of mixed-up animals and quirky visual humour. Try to make up your own animal pairs! Addictively good fun. Find the app at parrotcarrot.com

Parrot Carrot is just the right size for little hands, and its soft puffy cover begs to be touched. The illustrations are simple and quirky, a perfect complement to its very simple text. I think it would make a lovely choice as a gift for a new baby or toddler. Perhaps accompanied by a carrot. Or a parrot? Young readers will take pleasure in trying to combine rhyming objects for themselves.

Teaching kids to play with words is so useful for their future. It helps their spelling, their reading, and most importantly, it means they will grow up to appreciate words in all their many guises and formats. They might learn to love cryptic crossword puzzles or scrabble, enjoy writing haiku or heroic poetry, or parlay their way into a creative job in advertising. And they'll join a happy throng that simply loves to mess about with words.

I (Marilyn) totally agree. Words are quirky, playful and to be enjoyed. Word games and rhymes can be played anywhere, anytime without props or a huge hassle. Take for example the game, " I spy with my little eye." Spy words that are in exact environment space whether that be at the doctor's office, at the public swimming pool or our doing the groceries. Find word Games that you can play in the car like: can you find the word McDonalds? Rona? Starbucks? etc. If you put a very exciting and interative spin on words your kids will eat the concept up and be asking for more. Have a great day and read on!