Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together

by Mary Ann Hoberman, Michael Emberley (Illustrator)

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author and former children's poet laureate Mary Ann Hoberman comes a new collection of fresh read-aloud takes on eight favorite fairy tales, including "The Three Bears," "Cinderella," and "Little Red Riding Hood."

Designed with emerging readers in mind, each of the tales is told in short rhyming dialogues—with each character's lines indicated by a different color—to be used as a script for two voices to read separately and together. Using traditional reading teaching techniques like alliteration, rhyme, repetition, and short sentences, the text invites young children to read along, while Michael Emberley's lively illustrations enhance the stories' humor and high spirits.

Goldilocks, the Little Red Hen, the Three Little Pigs, and many more beloved characters star in these tales-with-a-twist that are perfect for early and reluctant readers, readers' theater, and bedtime fun.

A 2005 Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts by the Children's Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teacher of English. Also chosen as a 2004 Gryphon Award Honor Book by the Center for Children's Books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316207447
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/11/2012
Series:	You Read to Me, I'll Read to You Series , #2
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	525,205
Product dimensions:	10.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mary Ann Hoberman is a children's poet and author. The former children's poet laureate, she is also a National Book Award recipient. She has published over forty books for children.

Editorial Reviews

"These brief verse retellings are just right for you to share with your new reader."—Parenting Magazine

"An exuberant read-aloud collection. Emberley's illustrations capture the liveliness of the poems beckoning readers to join in and relish the fun."—Kirkus

"The energy never flags, neither in Hoberman's trademark bouncy rhythms nor in Emberley's exuberant illustrations."—Booklist

"Beginning readers will be encouraged by the early successes they are likely to meet within these pages, to go out and conquer the mountains of written word that lie ahead of them."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The content is as smart as the format, with fresh takes on old plots."—Child Magazine

"Seldom has a potential play script been as delectably illustrated as this one."—Horn Book

"The brevity, repetition and rhyme help youngsters develop reading skills — all while enjoying the cozy interaction with another reader... should inspire frequent readings as well as a demand for the originals."—Children's Literature

"Even seasoned older readers will love the parody... Emberley's clear comic- style pictures are hilarious."—Booklist

"A wonderful read-aloud experience for two voices... a truly delightful reading ensemble."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

The Barnes & Noble Review
The team who created You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together return with a zippy fairy-tale follow-up aimed at getting kids to read cooperatively. Including eight fairy tales amended to ultimately convey the joy of reading, Hoberman delivers another lively, positive-minded picture book featuring "The Three Bears," "The Princess and the Pea," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and other familiar stories. In one tale, Little Red Riding Hood speaks with the disguised Big Bad Wolf, going back and forth in a peppy dialogue -- each character's words are clearly set apart through differently colored text and indentations -- that results in both of them heading off to a restaurant: [Red:] "Well, if you promise to behave, I'll take you out to lunch." / [Wolf:] "We'll go out to a restaurant / And while our dinners cook / We'll read a special story / Out of a special book." Likewise, Cinderella and her nasty stepsisters sit down for family time; the Little Red Hen gets her barnyard pals to join in storytime after her bread is eaten; and the Three Billy Goats Gruff check out a book with the bridge troll. Hoberman's reading-themed effort is glowing with its messages about books and solving differences, and when combined with Michael Emberley's gut-busting illustrations and a helpful author's note for parents, this is a winning treat that everyone who is young, or young at heart, will have a blast reading aloud. Shana Taylor

bn.com

This sequel to a book of short stories by the same title is written in parts: purple, orange, and blue type signal the text that you, your child, or both of you can read together. The content is as smart as the format, with fresh takes on old plots, like an affably cartooned Big Bad Wolf promising better behavior to a forgiving pig. (Ages 6 to 8)
Child magazine's Best Children's Book Awards 2004

Conflict resolution seems the theme of You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illus. by Michael Emberley. As with this duo's first collaboration, the tales take the form of a conversation between a pair of characters (such as the princess and the pea or Jack and the ogre atop the beanstalk), allowing the stories to be read aloud by two people. As the characters quibble over plot points, they ultimately come to terms, in each case deciding, "You'll read to me!/ I'll read to you!" Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 3-A companion to the popular You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together (Little, Brown, 2001), this book offers eight fairy tales to inspire a wonderful read-aloud experience for two voices. The color and placement of the text on the pages indicate the different parts. For example, "The Little Red Hen" begins with voice one, in orange type: "I'm Little Red Hen./I planted the wheat./I dug up the soil/In the dust and the heat." Then, voice two, in magenta: "And I am the Duck/And I have to admit/That I did not help her,/Not one little bit." Each tale ends with both participants sharing the refrain: "You read to me./I'll read to you." Hoberman doesn't offer full renditions of the stories, but rather uses the characters and one or two plot elements to create retellings that will entice children and encourage them to keep reading. The selections all have happy endings; in "Jack and the Beanstalk," the ogre agrees to share some of his treasure with the boy, and Little Red Riding Hood takes the Big Bad Wolf out to lunch where they read together while waiting for their food. The verses are rarely forced or faltering, and the two voices join seamlessly together to create a truly delightful reading ensemble. Emberley's humorous illustrations feature expressive characters drawn in pen, watercolor, and pastel, and are liberally scattered throughout the text.-Shelley B. Sutherland, Niles Public Library District, IL Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal