Caring for Emily’s Family by Carol Zelaya is a continuation of the wonderful little story found in Emily Waits for her Family, where we are introduced to the nature loving little girl and her new friend, Emily the Chickadee. This work, like the previous was illustrated by Kristin Metcalf and we certainly have a winner with this team!In this current little book, our little girl shows how the relationship with her friend the Chickadee develops and how she, the little girl, helps Emily and her family in a nonintrusive way. Setting up bird feeders, making sure there is a supply of water for drinking, bathing and keeping cool and nice housing. All the while, the little story makes it abundantly clear as to the joy the little girl is getting from her bird friends.
Again, the author has used light verse to tell her story, a rhythmic verse which is pleasing to the ear while still using simply words that the little ones will be able to fully understand. The book is short and is perfect to set down for a quick read with your child or grand child and is absolutely ideal for a bed time read. The author obviously knows and loves her critters and knows kids. This shines through on every page.
As with the first Emily book, the illustrations are of the highest technical quality, filling the pages with beautiful colors. Again, the artist, Kristin Metcalf has captured the birds and plants perfectly as to anatomical correctness. I always feel this is important because books at this level are quite able to instill the beginnings of a love for nature in a child and it is always a good thing when the subject is being properly presented. I have no doubt that most children, after reading through this book, will be able to identify a Chickadee when they see one in the wild, and perhaps several different verities of flower.
Each short verse goes perfectly with the painting and even though the art is simply, it still gives the reader plenty of material to point out to the child and discuss. Little things like making the strawberries distinctive from the black berries are important when teaching a child to pay attention to detail.
The book is quite well put together and is a class act in itself, as are the writing and illustrations. This is the kind of small board book that can take quite a beating over the years. I suspect that this book, and the others in series for that matter, will be eventually handed down to the next generation. As you get older, you think of stuff like that, huh!
I cannot think of a better gift to give to a child (I always give books, have for years) than this little volume and the other two which make a nice set. Let’s hope the author continues with either an addition to this series or starts another.
Recommend this one highly.
Considerations :::
We could not find a Reading Level for this book, so the best assumption would be that you will need to read this to your children.
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