School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1 ``A muster of peacocks,'' ``a kindle of kittens,'' and other familiar and unusual collective nouns form the text of Heller's book. Bright, richly-colored oil pencil and line drawings enliven each set of objects, and some are exceptionally life-likeone can practically hear the crunch of the crusty loaves of bread and smell the bananas. Each group of items is presented in rhyme, which is remarkably smooth and unforced until the last page, when an explanation of the concept of col lective nouns, more suited to simple prose, intrudes. While ``. . .Jewels'' can be used to help children learn about parts of speech, its principal charm lies in the illustrations and the vocabulary itself, which will delight small eyes and ears. Kathleen Brachmann, Highland Park Public Library, Ill. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In light verse and brightly colored pictures, Heller provides an introduction to a specialized part of speech, the collective noun. She lists and depicts more than 25, including such familiar terms as ``batch of bread'' and ``bunch of bananas,'' as well as more unusual phrases: ``gam of whales,'' ``muster of peacocks'' and ``parcel of penguins.'' The concept will stimulate the curiosity and imaginations of children with an ear for language. The illustrations, containing large, bold objects in simple yet striking compositions, ensure a visually inspiring exploration as well. Ages 4-8. (October) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved