Board books should be easy to handle, engaging, and fun. Listen, Listen fits that bill as Barefoot Books enters this market. Readers are encouraged to listen to the seasonal sounds around them, and there are plenty. From the newness of spring to the whispering snowflakes of winter, Alison Jay’s illustrations literally crackle with sound. The movement in the illustrations furthers the theme of listening and the characters are so generic that they overcome what some may interpret as a lack of multiculturalism.

The words are fun and can be easily matched to sounds and their illustrations. The cyclic nature the seasons was used to provide an ending that provided more confusion than clarity on a first reading. The point is necessary, but simplicity is essential.

There is no doubt about it, this is a fun book that can be shared together and then read again and again by a developing reader who embellishes the story with their own seasonal sounds. Add it with confidence to your collection, or buy a copy at any time of the year as a gift for a young reader.

4 out of 5

Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” is a perfect read for the ultra competitive reality show generation. Part “Survivor,” part “Lost,” part “American Idol,” part conglomeration of every movie that pits random humans versus one another in front of a crowd of onlookers- it takes a well used concept and makes the most of it. Although it takes a few pages to crank up the story, it is well worth the effort.

One might expect the fiercely competitive nature of the “The Hunger Games” to warrant pages of gore and bloody description. Collins’ skills shine as she allows the reader’s interaction to formulate much of the scene without excess focus on the violence.

Many have called “The Hunger Games” an investigation into a young person’s world where violence is a contributing factor. Is this not also a social commentary on what might one day be demanded by viewers who have grown tired of the same old entertainment? While the book does address these issues and the depth of romance without sex the main consideration is the story and whether it works. It does.

Great stories are created and told again and again. They evoke vivid imagery and lure the reader or listener into the activity. They inspire readers to create their own continuation of the story and character’s lives. They demand sequels and screenplays. They also birth web sites http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames… that carry the theme forward.

Every public and high school library should have at least one copy. Recruit one reader and prepare for an avalanche to follow.

5 out of 5