Saturday, April 15, 2006

Did You Say Pears? by Arlene Alda








Ok, so it's Saturday afternoon, and I have just spent an obscene amount of money on chocolate for Easter, whipped up a strawberry shortcake, and marinated steaks to celebrate Katie coming home from university for the Easter Weekend with her new boyfriend in tow, and I have a few minutes to write. I picked up a picture book the other day that I fell in love with. It isn't funny. It isn't a tear-jerker. It isn't a lot of things. What it is though, is a book that ought to be in the hands of kids. It's a playful look at some of the oddball words in the English Language and is called Did You Say Pears? by Arlene Alda. It's published by Tundra Books, in Canada. It's the sweetest, by which I mean coolest, book of homonyms and homophones that you'll ever come across, and questions are at it's root, or should I say route. So if you are a primary teacher, this one needs to be in your bag a tricks. If you are an intermediate teacher, the photos could easily sell this book to your kids, and so could getting them to use this book as a jumping off point. And, of course, if you are just an ordinary adult like me who loves kids books, you'll want it too, if for no other reason than to savour it on a Friday night before turning out the lights after you have had a rocking good time watching "What Not to Wear". Rumour has it that I may not have an exciting life...This is absolutely and unequivocally untrue!

1 comment:

Brad said...

Well, I'll be the first to comment then! The book looks like fun.

Not sure whether I should use your real name, but then you link to your website that does name you, so Sheryl it is!

Advice from an old blogger is to title all your posts (you can go back and do it in the edit window) as that's how the Google world will see your entries (otherwise they'll see the date).

Apparently blog stuff is often high up in Google searches and you've probably got it set up to make a unique web page for each entry (that's the default setting) and so you can expect people to begin to find you through online searches.

And since blogs have fresher content, that's why I'd suggest you use your own name (already well known and all), especially since it'll make you seen as more credible etc and, besides, you get your name out on the Web more, too!

My taxes got to me, also, but I'm done thank God!