Saturday, September 20, 2014

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson -- ESSENTIAL

Matheson, Christie Tap the Magic Tree. Greenwillow Books, 2013. $15.99. Content: G.

In this interactive picture book, readers begin with a leaf-bare tree, which they are asked to tap. A few pages later, the taps reveal new leaves, like magic. Rubbing the tree warms it up; on the next page, flowers appear. It continues this way, with readers following instructions and the tree going through a full, year-long cycle.

This seems like such a simple concept, but it feels almost magical to follow an instruction, turn the page, and see the tree change. Not only is the interactivity delightful, but the illustrations are, too. This book would work well in a lesson on the life cycles of deciduous trees or on how the seasons affect nature. At the very least, it's a whole lot of fun.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) -- ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Caryn

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