Scranimals

Jack Prelutsky books have become a special bond between my 6 year old son and I. He has this book, Behold the Umbrellaphant, and Stardines, and we both love the silly poetry. We both also like music, so the rhythm of the poems is fun as we can almost sing it. He loves the wackiness and thoroughly enjoys the pictures. The silly names of the animals are fun for him to try and sound out, so not only is it fun for me to read to him, but he also is learning about words as he reads it to me, without even realizing it. I'd buy any book by Prelutsky and recommend them for anyone with children of any age (my 10 year old daughter loves them as well).

I was intrigued and amused to see another reviewer say her children were obsessed with "Scranimals" -- because that's the same reaction we got with our kid!Jack Prelutsky evidently knows the secret of how to captivate children, especially when teamed up with illustrators like Peter Sis. Nearly every Prelutsky book that enters our home gets the same treatment: fascination, amusement, and above all, lots of reading and re-reading.One might say that this is not Prelutsky's most ingenious work, since it's basically a single concept stretched out into a series of variations, not all of which are equally clever. But there's more to it than that. The illustrations are compelling and fun. And much of the poetry is more highly-crafted than one might expect, given the silly first impression the book makes.A great example is the description of the "Bananaconda" (that word alone always makes ME laugh!) in which the author slathers syballant syllables in silly sequences. I took the opportunity to point out to our first-grader how a poet describes things differently than other kinds of writers.I then read it aloud to demonstrate that point, sssimply by exsstending each of the esses on the page. At that point, most kids can make the connection between the sound of the words, and their understanding of "S" as the sound made by a snake -- something many of them learn in preschool, if not earlier.And of course those words were written ABOUT a snake. For a kid to learn that words can have multiple layers of meaning, and to learn that concept at such an early age... well, that's really something. And Prelutsky is one of the best at delivering that kind of depth, even when combined with utter silliness.In short, Scranimals is definitely a worthy addition to any child's collection, at nearly any age.

My kids love this book. Peter Sis' illustrations are so timeless and amazing, and the poems are wonderful. This book truly will exercise the imagination. Every page takes you to a new, fantastical (and somewhat eerie) setting that is a joy to explore. The creatures will become part of your kids' world forever (my kids like to pretend they are a radishark chasing me in the pool). It would be great for a school teacher to use in a classroom setting for a poetry unit or for a lesson about make-believe creatures. My kids have loved it from the moment they could sit up and it is interesting enough for an adult. To me, this is a must for any children's book collection.

A favorite children's book. Very clever and fun. Allows an imaginitive response by readers.Enjoy!!!

What a fun book! The concept is that there is a magical island where the animals are magical combinations of vegetables (or fruits) and animals (e.g., the Mangorilla).We have had it for years, reading it to three children, and it remains one of our five or ten faves. The poetry is excellent and funny and the illustrations are great. The kids love to look at the exotic (fictional) animals pictured and then guess which one is coming up on the next page. Watch out for the Radishark!Needless to say...it's fun for parents, too.

My son loves this book. Such a silly mix up of animals and food, with very catchy rhymes. My 3.5 yr old has most of them memorized and does not tire of hearing them again and again. It has also helped to broaden his vocabulary. So happy Amazon had it in hardcover, the first time I looked for it, a few months back, I could only find paperback.

My daughter loves this book and so do I. So creative and inspires imagination.

I read this book to my kids when they were younger and they loved it. Now I have a grandson I've begun reading it to him also. When I hear my children reading to him they read it in exactly the same way. Love it. Them feels.

The word plays are great, and the illustrations complement them well. A great addition to my children's bookshelf, which we will enjoy for quite a while.