Sonderbooks Book Review of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Reviewed April 21, 2003.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, 1989. 32pages.
Available at Sembach Library (E MAR).
A Sonderbooks’ Stand-out of 2003: #1, Old Favorite Picture Books

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has been a family favorite at ourhouse for approximately the 14 years it has been in print. Here’sa jazzy alphabet book like no other.

Instead of the same old words beginning with letters, in this book theletters are the characters. “A told B, and B told C, ‘I’ll meetyou at the top of the coconut tree,’” The small letters climb thecoconut tree, fall down, and then are helped up by their parents, thecapital letters.

Okay, told like that, the book sounds silly. Told by the authorsof this book, the story is a delight. Small children loverecognizing the letters and will quickly learn the words to read alongwith you. I guarantee that parents won’t get tired of readingthis book, even on the hundredth time. (Well, your voice mightget tired!)

When my son was in preschool, we discovered a tape version withRay Charles reading the book, giving it the jazz beat it was writtenfor. I’ve made the Amazon link on my webpage link to a book andcassette set that includes that wonderful tape, with a littleadditionalalphabet fun.

Sembach Library finally got a copy of this book, and it has alreadybeen a hit at one story time. This is the perfect book for 3- to5-year-olds and their lucky parents.

Review of another book by Lois Ehlert:
The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life

BookReviews by Sondra Eklund

******Chicka Chicka Boom Boom*

by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

illustrated by Lois Ehlert