School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 1-Each book features a page on the left for adults to read and a simpler text for children on the right. Together, the two narratives tell a story or provide information about a specific topic. Grow Up has full-color photographs of people holding different jobs. The text seems complex for beginning readers, and picture clues do not always match it. The adult text also seems too lengthy to engage most young readers. Frank is a story about a frog and his friends whose ball lands in a giant's house. As it turns out, the giant is a friendly human boy. This text is much simpler and shorter than that in the first book. Picture clues on the child's page allow even the most inexperienced reader to figure out the correct word or phrase. Large, colorful cartoon characters and objects appear on uncluttered white backgrounds. This innovative reading idea is sure to please parents, but careful consideration of a child's reading ability and interests should be taken into account when selecting books from this series.-Anne L. Tormohlen, Deerfield Elementary School, Lawrence, KS (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
To read this story about frog Frank's search for his missing ball, adults handle the left-hand text, while the facing page features a large-font word or two suitable for beginning readers. The shared-reading format has promise, but it's short-circuited by the fact that kids can guess the text simply by looking at the slick illustration positioned directly above it. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
