Title: One Word from Sophia
Author: Jim Averbeck
Illustrator: Yasmeen Ismail
Publisher: Atheneum Books For Young Readers
Topic: Interpersonal communication, Family life, Giraffe, Birthdays,
Age: 4-8
Opening: Sophia's birthday was coming up and she had five things on her mind - One True Desire and four problems.
Summary: All Sophie wants for her birthday is a pet giraffe, but as she tries to convince different members of her rather complicated family, mother, father, Uncle Conrad and Grand-mama, to support her cause, each tells her she is using too many words until she finally hits on the perfect one.
Resources:
A study guide can be found here at the author's website.
Check out the back of the book for the glossary. There are different words used for 'using too many words' discuss them and perhaps help child(ren) look up more words that can mean the same thing.
Make a list of other Quadruped animals.
Review:
This was such a fun book to read. You can tell this young lady comes from a family of well versed and educated people. She is ready to take on the challenge of getting a pet giraffe and she is quite prepared with charts, presentations, slideshows, graphs and even a foot rub. But each time she is told she is using too many words. Following her attempts to make the perfect argument is precious and entertaining. I love the fact that the author chose to use vocabulary specific to each of her family members' professions. The glossary in the back of the book will be useful in extended learning activities. This book would do well in any home and classroom library.
