The title gives it away! This book by Jenna Lettice and Colleen Madden is set to the age-old holiday favorite “Twelve Days of Christmas.” It is made more age appropriate and catchy by utilizing the phrasing ‘on the [insert number] day of preschool, we all learned to share’ then goes through some clever sets of verses featuring little kid favorites like trains, bicycles, snacks, and dinosaurs. After one dry run/read through this story, we were able to make it into a more interactive experience with moves to mimic the verses. Dinosaur stomps, train whistle, snoring etc. I love that Madden illustrated this story featuring characters and children appearing to be of many different ethnic/cultural backgrounds, and my little one loves the thirty bonus stickers that are included. Her illustrations also offer plenty of opportunity to count the items and discuss what each child is doing in the pictures.
[alert variation=”alert-info”]Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Formats: Paperback, eBook, Kindle
Purchase: Amazon | iBooks[/alert]
There are two aspects that I wish were a little different. First, the stickers match the illustrations but are not intended to go in the book (although you can imagine where they are ending up) and second, I love the verse about sharing, but the illustrations, while matching the rhymes, do not overtly illustrate the concept of sharing. Most of the pictures show each child doing the action independently, like each on their own tricycle or eating their own snack. That said, it doesn’t take away from the catchy rhyme and we are enjoying The Twelve Days of Preschool. Lettice and Madden have three other books in this same concept (kindergarten, Halloween, Valentine’s Day) that would make for great books to add into the rotation, especially the holidays. I am hopeful that this story will help with our impending transition to a new preschool a little smoother.
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