Saturday, October 31, 2009

Hurry! Hurry! by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Jeff Mack

You've heard that a picture is worth a thousand words? Well that really describes this book well, being that it is a book of few words. Funny as it sounds, the lack of words really doesn't impede the story at all. Don't get me wrong, its simple but strong. The story begins on the cover pages, where you see a rooster rushing out of a barn flapping his wings. On the first page with text, the rooster yells "Hurry! Hurry!" to the goats. Then the goat goes and tells the next animal and so on, until at the very last we finally learn what was so important. The hen had laid an egg, and the chick was about to hatch. Once I thought about it, it really flowed. I thought that also this book could be used to breach the topic of a new baby in the family for students. All the barnyard animals are so happy to meet the new baby chick, and that would be a good message that could carry over to new brothers and/or sisters.

I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. They were bright and colorful and just happy. They set the mood that whatever the animals are hurrying toward is something joyous. I also liked how the story started on the title and dedication pages. In this particular story it helped set up the feeling of anticipation for the rest of the story.
Ye olde library has recommended this book for students 3-5 and I think that sounds about right. Any older than that and I think that the student would perhaps be insulted that you had so few words for them to read.

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