EducatingParents.org rating: Approved

Picked this up at the thrift store for the boy who loves books that can be sung. We have a few of these books (Itsy Bitsy Spider and I'm a Little Tea Pot) by this author and this is by far the easiest one to sing new lyrics to the familiar tune. ( )

"Row, Row, Row Your Boat" illustrated and written by Iza Trapani is a simplistic story that reminds me of my childhood. The story, or song, is about a family of bears rowing their boat down a stream and going through a bad storm. The story has a very rhythmic tone to it and the sound is very smooth and easy as you read the lines. There are many parts within the writing that rhyme. For example, "Row row row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream." There are many parts like this in the story that simply bring a smile to your face and a sense of ease. There is also a touch of humor added when the author writes "What a clumsy crew!". The illustrations in this book cover the whole page so the reader has a picture of what is occurring right there for him or her. For example, the last illustration shows the skies are clearing and the sun is beginning to show by making the sky look like the beautiful mixture of blue, purple, and orange after an ugly storm. The message of the song "Row Row Row Your Boat" is that if the people you are with work together to get through an obstacle, then you will be successful. ( )

I enjoyed the way Trapani expanded on the familiar song. ( )

This was a great book. The author took a nursery rhyme and made all of the verses into a book. The pictures are very detailed and go along with the verses. The family has to find shelter in the storm and a few other things. I think this book shows the importance of family. She made me want to continue to read and it was really cute. Since this is a nursery rhyme, then students feel that they are reading when they are first learning how. Great book! ( )

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