Review: Ralphina, the Roly-Poly

Title:  Ralphina, the Roly-Poly

Author/Illustrator: Claudia Chandler

Review Copy Provided by:  author, via Bostick Communications

Summary from back of book:  Ralphina, the Roly-Poly is sad because she gets lonely in her garden and wants a friend to play with. But she is so small that nobody seems to notice her. With her mommy's encouragement, Ralphina digs up a clever solution to her loneliness and in the process learns that she has a lot to offer in friendship. (Did you notice the little play on words there? Get it . . . digs . . . garden? Ha!).

My Review:  I absolutely loved this book!  Kudos to Claudia Chandler for creating such a beautiful book for young children!  Being a kindergarten teacher for years, I always look for books that will catch a child's eye.  Yes, it needs to have a good story, but most young children will be drawn to the pictures before the story.  The colors used are all bright, vivid colors, that will really appeal to children.  Most children can relate to roly-polies or pill bugs as we called them, because they have played with them at home or on the playground at school (my kinders always did).  Ralphina just wanted someone to play with, so she did what she could to get noticed.  What child doesn't want someone to play with?  Many times they will do like Ralphina and get themselves noticed.  I like how Claudia added facts about roly-polies into the storyline as well as 2 pages at the end dedicated to "Fun Facts about the Roly-Poly!" and "Fun Facts about Rainbows!"  My favorite part of the book is when Ralphina tells Alec, " Did you know that if roly-polie wore shoes, I would need Seven Pairs?  I would want every pair to be a different kind!"  Ralphina is definitely a girl after my own heart!  The illustration of Ralphina on her back, wearing 7 different pairs of shoes is priceless!  I just think that children will fall in love with this book because of the colors and their fascination with these bugs.  As a teacher, I recommend this book to other teachers and parents as well, for their young children. 

Read Booking Mama's review, here.

More info about the book:
32 pages

hardcover
11" x 8 1/2 "
$17.95 + $3.50 shipping
ISBN 978-1-28597-462-7

Buy it on Amazon!

Thank you Ms. Chandler for sending me a copy of your book to review!!