Title: What the Wind Blew In: 6 Stories to read with Children
Author: Marilyn B. Wassmann
Publisher: Writers Branding
ISBN: 978-1-953048-08-0
Pages: 42
Genre: Poetry / Children’s
Reviewed by: Margie Przybylski
Hollywood Book Reviews
What a beautiful and fun little book to read with children! I read these with my son over the course of a few weeks before bed time. He is three, we were not always able to finish one story in a sitting but he listened attentively to every word. The rhymes and rhythm of the stories are perfect for calming down before bed and he looked forward to them every night.
I loved the realistic and lifelike illustrations – they offer a nice break for the child to look at and study as you read to them. They do not take over the whole page, instead your little listener can follow along with your finger as you read. The pages are full of words – short and long, familiar and new. There is something to learn in every verse. My son asked me so many questions as I read to him and I believe that he learned a great deal from this book!
I recommend What the Wind Blew In to preschool teachers and families with young children who do not know how to read yet. They are wonderful stories that sing to the reader right off the page. Not only are there new words to learn and new places to discover – the listener will learn important lessons as well.
I read these to my son before bed but they can be enjoyed at any time of the day. This book would make a great addition to a homeschool morning routine. There are many topics that can be taught alongside this book as it deals with true to life situations in a fun and imaginative way children can understand.
Older and independent readers can learn a great deal from this book as well – it is fun to read out loud. Students can learn about iambic pentameter, rhyme, rhythm and other poetic devices Marilyn B. Wassmann uses. This book would make a great introduction to learning about early English literature such as Shakespeare since it uses modern English and is easy to understand. After reading something like this and learning about poetry, students would have a much easier time diving into and enjoying Shakespeare’s writing.
What the Wind Blew In was a joy to read with my children. My three-year-old son had so much fun with every story. I couldn’t believe all of the questions he asked and which parts he found amusing. My baby girl didn’t comment but I am so glad her little brain was exposed to new vocabulary and soothing rhythmic poetry at such a young age. Reading to your children is one of the best ways to guarantee academic success and Wassmann surely provides a wonderful time of reading, learning and exploring in her book of poems to read with children.