Twisting Words

Six Sheep Sip Thick Shakes And Other Tricky Tongue Twisters
written by Brian P. Cleary and illustrated by Steve Mack
Millbrook Press, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, 2011
for grades K-4

When September rolls around, I'll be reading to a new class of second graders, so I've been on the lookout for fun books. Fun is one of my main criteria for read-aloud days, and Brian P. Cleary's Six Sheep Sip Thick Shakes and Other Tricky Tongue Twisters fits the bill well. Cleary, a prolific author of humorous grammar books and other works, even includes instructions for making up your own tongue twisters; on a page at the back of the book, he spells out exactly how tongue twisters work, which has to do with thimilar thounds in repetition. 

With one tongue twister per every page or so and big, cheerful illustrations (by Steve Mack) that ought to show well from a distance, this picture book is a quick read, providing plenty of time for practice. Be prepared for, er, schlip-ups on such sentences as "Sasha shifted as she sifted..."

Today is Nonfiction Monday at many of the children's literature blogs. You'll find a roundup of posts at Apples with Many Seeds.

image borrowed from Powell's Books

Comments

[Tammy]

This book sounds like great fun. I like the idea of creating original tongue twisters.
Thanks for participating in today's Nonfiction Monday event.
Tammy

[Susan T.]

My pleasure! I found some great titles at the roundup this morning.

[Books4Learning]

Sounds like an entertaining and educational read. Feel free to check out my blog if you are looking for some new suggestions on books for you class :) Have a great year!

[Susan T.]

I will drop by. Thank you for the invite! I am a volunteer reader for a second-grade class at a public school, and can't wait to meet the new group in September.