If I Had a Giraf-Aroo — Rich Aaron

Can you picture a "GIRAF-AROO"? How about a KANGA-RAFFE? Ask any child and wait for a great description! The new world of the aniMIXals are a colorful and fun way for children to get acquainted with reading through rhymes. This adventure is set in the backdrop of a pretend Zoo springing from the imagination of 2 children who begin with "If I had a GIRAF-AROO, would you want one too?" AniMIXals are "animals that are mixed up fun". Children love animals and the rhymes in this book help prepare children for something they will use for the rest of their lives - reading. Reading specialists use rhymes as a guide to help children with the transition to reading symbols we call letters that make sounds. It is actually an un-natural process to start reading because the brain has to make a connection between the letter and the sound it makes. The rhyming words in this book are set in different colors to make it obvious for the reader and draw attention to the sounds that rhyme. Teachers expand on the rhyming skill to highlight new words that "sound" like other words through the letter combinations. This book not only stirs a child's imagination, it gets them started on the road to reading. Through rhyming and the predicting process, a child will master the reading adventure.