Thursday, May 9, 2013

Percy's Neighborhood by Stuart J. Murphy -- OPTIONAL

Murphy, Stuart J. Percy's Neighborhood 32 pgs. Charlesbridge Publishing, 2013. $6.95.

Before Percy is allowed to play at the park, he has to help his father put up posters for the community's upcoming Fun Run. In their quest, Percy and his father visit a police station, fire station, library, and doctor's office. Along the way, they discuss how the people who work in those places are community helpers.

While I usually like the titles in Murphy's I See I Learn series, this one didn't come together for me. The concept of "community helpers" is not well-explained, nor is the "Fun Run" they're hanging up flyers for, so the ultimate point can be easily lost. In addition, a number of other community helpers were left out, making it seem as if there are only four types. I know it can be difficult to fit everything into a children's book, but even mentioning them in passing would have made the concept more clear.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) -- OPTIONAL. Reviewed by: Caryn

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