Friday, October 16, 2020

Welcome in Fall with a Good Book: "The B on Your Thumb, 60 Poems to Boost Reading and Spelling" (Review)

 Disclosure: I was sent a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

(Also available in paperback format)


I was first introduced to poetry in the 4th grade by one of my favorite childhood teachers. And, then from then on, I have been hooked -- reading poetry and writing it.  So, now that I have children of my own, I get to share some of my passions with them, and maybe they will find some enjoyment in them, too -- poetry being one of them.  Both of my girls started 6th grade a few months ago, and are reading up a storm. They both challenged each other to read over 100 books during the summer months, and both surpassed their goals by mid summer.  I think by the end of summer they were both well over 175 chapter books read, which is truly impressive. They would read in the car, at bedtime, and instead of watching television, as they found themselves getting into a book, and not wanting to put it down.  

Now that we are back to homeschooling, I wanted to concentrate our fall semester on poetry, and introducing poets like Robert Frost to the girls, while also giving them ample time to try their hand at writing different styles of poetry.  When I first learned about this book a couple months ago, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy, not just to check out and review, but also to share with my girls, and incorporate it with our learning .  Even though this book is geared towards children ages 3-7 years old, and those who are just learning how to read, or strengthen their reading, I knew it would also be a great resource for my girls, in teaching them how to read poetry, taking a pause at the end of sentences and thoughts, and also allowing the to understand what the poet was talking about, as the poems in the this book are easy to understand and playful.  Also, each poem has a full color illustration to go along with it, to better help kids imagine what the poem is talking about.

I found that my girls were better able to grasp poetry, the rhyming scheme of some, and the flow the poet goes with when writing a poem or stanza.  They loved each and every one of the poems, and said this book helped them understand poetry better than other books and poets we were reading in our schooling. And, guess what?  Both of my girls now love poetry -- both reading and writing it -- thanks in part to this wonderful book.  

If you are looking to introduce your beginner reader to poetry, or for a book to help reluctant readers want to read short passages/poems, then I highly recommend you check out this new release from Frances Lincoln Children's Books. It is available now through online retailers, as well as through brick and mortar bookstores and retailers.



More about this book:

"The B on Your Thumb is a book of 60 hilariously illustrated rhymes and delightful ditties to boost early reading—each poem teaches a specific sound, spelling, or rule. Using rhythm and wordplay, they promote phonics awareness, thinking skills, and literacy. But most of all, this book delights young readers with the fun and silliness of the English language.



This is a book where words like to play,
where letters get cross when they don’t get their way.
There are sounds to make and jokes to uncover.
An owl in your bowl, for you to discover.
Meet the K on your knee, who’s ready for fun,
and don’t be alarmed by the B on your thumb!


An introduction instructs grown-ups how to use the book and extensive activities at the end allow children to build on their learning. Grouped into four categories—soundssilent letters and secretsspellings, and words that sound the same—the poems include:

  • See with Two Ees
  • The Story of Q and U
  • The Rain in the Train
  • Ridiculous Ph
  • Enough of Uff
  • Certainly a C
  • The Most ImportANT
  • Which Witch

Learning to read has never been so much fun!The B on Your Thumb is a must for every young family’s bookshelf."

Format: Hardback80 Pages
ISBN: 9780711254602
Illustrations: color illustrations
Size: 7.992 in x 10.945 in / 203 mm x 278 mm
Edition: Illustrated Edition
Published: 

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About the Authors:

Colette Hiller is a writer, arts producer, and mother of twins. Her arts projects have reached hundreds of thousands of participants—she is the woman who put pianos and ping-pong tables in countless locations across the UK, and is also the mind behind the hit Talking Statues project.

Her children’s rhymes have been featured on BBC Words and Pictures and her children’s LP, Applehead, has been a hit with kids across the world, selling over 50,000 copies. An advocate of early learning, Colette believes that even very young children are receptive to the joy of wordplay (she taught her own twins to read by the time they were three).

Tor Freeman is a London-based illustrator. In 2012 she was awarded the Sendak Fellowship. In 2017 she won the Guardian Graphic Short Story Prize. Her books include the Digby Dog and Olive series.


 Disclosure: I was sent a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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