Let's Play Rough!
PreSchool-K-The action begins promptly on the title page as a boy prepares to pounce on his father, who sits quietly reading the newspaper. What follows is an affectionate, rough-and-tumble exchange between the two as they engage in physical play. The little boy pretends to be a bear and his father becomes "a Big Hairy Monster Bear!" Jonell's realistic dialogue and Rand's animated, skillfully rendered illustrations seize what is often unique to a father-son relationship-aggressive yet playful roughhousing. The little boy's enthusiasm as he and his dad morph in and out of their bear bodies is enhanced by the text that rolls and dances across the double-page spreads. The endpapers feature the pair in various poses of rowdy fun. This is an excellent addition to any collection, and would be a terrific read-aloud for small-group storytimes.Linda M. Kenton, Palo Alto City Library, CACopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.