Very Short Stories to Read Together

August 6, 2001
John Ciardi's collection of 35 poems with drawings by Edward Gorey is perhaps the best known book with this title (published in 1962); it, too, used the concept of dividing a poem on the page, designed for a more experienced reader to read with a child. Hoberman (One of Each) here creates a collection of 12 rhyming and heavily repetitious dialogues, each one ending with the emphasis on reading together (e.g., "I'll read to you. You'll read to me"; "We'll read together,/ You and I"). In "The Dime," a pig discovers that the coin he found may actually be the lost money of his rabbit friend. A discussion ensues: "Shall we divide the dime in two?"/ "A nickel each? It's up to you."/ Or shall we buy/ One thing to share?"/ "That would be fun, that would fair." Another playful poem, "The Bear," takes on an incredulous tone; when a boy's little brother tells a bear he can spend the night as long as he does not snore, the boy's friend replies, "Your little brother/ Sounds quite brave/ To tell a bear/ How to behave." But while the mood is light, the text never really takes flight. In addition to similar phrases, the rhyme scan is nearly identical in all of the poems; the tone becomes monotonous. However, each of Emberley's (Happy Birth Day!) spot illustrations is unique and, in total, the artwork creates relationships among the characters. Working in watercolor, pen and pastel, he endows his characters with an edgy expressiveness that leaps off the page. Ages 4-up.

Starred review from August 1, 2001
PreS-Gr 2-A delightful choreography of rhythm, rhyme, and repetition that begs to be read aloud in tandem by children and adults, or by any pairing of beginning readers. The gist of the book is that reading aloud and listening as others read aloud is an integral part of early literacy. "Here's a book/With something new-/You read to me!/I'll read to you!" instructs a passage in the introduction. Thirteen two-page humorous "stories" feature enduring childhood subjects like animals, play, likes and dislikes, friends, and family. All are liberally decorated with Emberley's witty, exuberant, pastel-colored cartoon illustrations. Brief verses appear on the left, right, or center of each page and are printed in three different colors to signal whose turn it is to read (or when it's time to read together). Simple yet varied vocabulary is used throughout. All of the selections conclude with a twist on the "you read to me/I'll read to you" refrain. The combination of short, rhythmic stories and cheerful art is a winning one, making this title a valuable addition to picture-book collections.-Mary Ann Carcich, Mattituck-Laurel Public Library, Mattituck, NY

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2001
Gr. 2-3. Inspired by work with the Literacy Volunteers of America, Hoberman offers 13 rhymed variations on the theme of getting together to read. The short poems are designed to be read aloud by two voices, with occasional parts to share. Color-coded text in double columns makes it easy to distinguish the parts. Each poem revolves around a simple incident: in "The Dime," two children decide what to do with the coin one has found; in "I Like" young neighbors finish the phrase, "I like . . . " in different ways. The energy never flags, neither in Hoberman's trademark bouncy rhythms nor in Emberley's exuberant illustrations, which picture a wonderful array of children and animals tumbling across the pages. It's a worthy message, lightly but strongly delivered: "In the shade (Or in the sun) / Choose a book (That looks like fun.) / One that's old (Or one that's new.) / Make-believe (Or really true.) / I'll read one line (I'll read two.) / " You'll read to me. "/" I'll read to "you."(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)

November 22, 2010
The team behind the collaborative reading series turns their attention to Aesop's fables. Two readers can recite alternating passages differentiated by color, with the closing morals to be read in unison. Emberley's pencil and watercolor spot illustrations bring fresh energy to the classic tales as well as a softening tone: the Hare and the Tortoise race on bicycles (the Hare wears spandex), and the golden-egg laying goose has a button-up chest, ensuring that the farmer doesn't have to use his knife. The jaunty rhymes and theatrical element of adopting a persona should spark enthusiasm from reluctant readers. Ages 3–6.

May 1, 2004
Conflict resolution seems the theme of You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illus. by Michael Emberley. As with this duo's first collaboration, the tales take the form of a conversation between a pair of characters (such as the princess and the pea or Jack and the ogre atop the beanstalk), allowing the stories to be read aloud by two people. As the characters quibble over plot points, they ultimately come to terms, in each case deciding, "You'll read to me!/ I'll read to you!"

January 1, 2002
Twelve "very short stories" are presented as poems for partners. Each poem bounces back and forth between readers beautifully, with the rhyming lines distributed democratically between the voices and the unison couplets and quatrains. While readers will probably be too intent upon keeping their places to look much at the illustrations, the art is nicely varied and thoughtfully designed to complement each of the selections.

(Copyright 2002 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)