They're There on Their Vacation

Reviewed by: Phyllis Fuchs - Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 11, 2016

Review

Here is a book for about grades two to five or for ages of about six to ten years that is both picture book fiction and non-fiction. The story is told in rhyming couplets about a family who choose to spend their vacations at unusual places. Full color, cartoon like drawings show mom, dad, older sister, younger brother and the unusual vacation spots. The book's title clearly suggests that the book is also about the English language and specifically about the often confusing trilogy of homophones, they're, their and there. That threesome appears on almost every page. Some of the words used in telling the story will challenge young readers and or listeners such as docent, narwhal, and contraction. The story ended, a final page simply and clearly defines each of the three homophones. This is an ambitious book, presenting itself as both entertaining fiction and instructive non-fiction. It may succeed best on public and school library shelves in the non-fiction sections since picture books, for the most part no longer appeal to the intended age group once they are reading independently. However, the book is recommended as a useful addition to school, public and home libraries as an entertaining resource aimed at reducing confusion and, as such, made available to children, parents,teachers and other adults.

Overall Book Score: good