ISBN 0663546486 - I don't usually review textbooks; this one caught my eye. It doesn't look like a textbook and when I flipped through it, I found a couple stories and authors I think are fantastic.

There are no lessons, questions or tests inside, this book is purely for reading.

- The English version of "Brother John" (Frere Jacques); nice and short, easy to read, a bit boring.
- "Twins, Twins, Twins" by Zachary Judd. Not really a story, more an explanation of who are twins, with photos. The pictures are okay, the text is simple.
- "Growing Up" by Henry Behn. Cute poem about going on a picnic as a child and finding it slightly scary, with boulders big enough to hide tigers, and returning to the same place for a picnic as an adult and seeing it as so much smaller.
- "Marvin's Moon Flight" by Winston White. Marvin is building a rocket and can't get anyone in his family to go to the moon with him. He goes by himself and brings home moon rocks and the whole family begins planning to go along next time - but Marvin's already moved on to building an underwater diving machine. Silly, in a good way.
- "Shoes from Grandpa" by Mem Fox. I've seen this one as a pretty popular stand-alone book. Jessie's father invites the family for a barbecue and her grandfather notices how much she's grown, saying he'll have to buy her some new shoes. One by one, other relatives add to her planned wardrobe, saying they'll buy her everything from socks to a blouse to mittens. Jessie appreciates the offer, but has some wardrobe ideas of her own. A fun read, similar to the popular "Green Grass Grew All Around" folk song, accumulating articles of clothing as it goes.
- "The Wrong Start" by (award winning author) Marchette Chute. A short poem about a day that gets off on the wrong foot. The author drops an egg, trips over the cat and other minor problems, making him think he should start over. Easy read and something everyone can identify with!
- "One of Three" by (award winning author) Angela Johnson. The youngest of three sisters tells about being one of three, doing many things together - window-shopping at the bakery, riding the subway and more. But sometimes her sisters don't invite her along. She's sad but her parents make her feel better and she's one of a different three! Younger siblings will identify with the story; the text is sparse and simple for young readers.
- Last, but by no means, least, is "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by (award winning author) Bill Martin. A popular kids' book, this is one story that makes the purchase of the book worthwhile, all by itself. The alphabet, with some personality!

Homeschooling parents may be the best target audience for this book; published 15 years ago, it probably won't be getting picked up by schools, but that's got little to do with whether or not it's a good book. There are at least two tales here that go for a fairly decent price alone - they can be had here for one price! For that, alone, it's worth the price.

- AnnaLovesBooks ( )