We checked this book out of the libaray in haste on day, as we were leaving. It is a beautiful book, with bright, simple illustrations, that tells a story about Apple Farmer Annie, what she grows (different kinds of apples), what she does with them (apple sauce, muffins, etc.), where she goes and how she sells her goods (farmer's market). There aren't a lot of words on the pages, but there is alot going on visually. While the illustrations themselves may be somewhat simple...each page is packed with many, many objects. It gives the story teller an opportunity to expand on the story and get your child involved by either explaining or having the child explain what is going on. For example, there are all kinds of apples listed, different colors of apples, types of kitchen utensils, and Annie herself is involved on the pages actually doing the things described. It also presents a logical sequence of events: growing, harvesting, preparing, selling, etc. As an added bonus, there is a recipe section at the back. We didn't get a chance to try any, maybe we will have to buy the book for ourselves. Cute book, but maybe for ages a little younger than listed, due to the lack of words.

Although it is recommended for ages 4-8, this very simple butcolorful book delighted my 2-year old as well. Not only do they learn"yes" and "no" in several languages, but each new country contains elements of typical culture and dress. French, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili, Arabic, and Inuit are all presented - along with "British" English.

The Big Book edition (38x48cm) is great for the classroom. I am an English Activity Co-ordinator for Elementary Schools in Kanazawa in Japan. The children love the bright, colourful pictures and the rhythmical pattern of "It's not I", said the cat. "It's not I", said the rat. June is the rainy season in Japan, so it's a great book to tie in with the theme of rain. There are 14 animals which feature in the book, cat/rat, wren/hen, fox/ox, loon/raccon, cony/pony, dog/frog, bear/hare. (I wasn't sure what a cony was, had to consult the dictionary on that one!!) Once the children became familiar with the rhythmical pattern, they made animal masks, drew their own illustrations on large pieces of cardboard and recited the words in the book, performing a play. In Japanese, this is called, "kamishibai".

This is an excellent book for its simplicity of words, bright and colourful illustrations and versatility in the classroom.