Flip-a-Word Books and a Giveaway

Johnny Boo's favorite books when he was learning to read were the Flip-a-Word books by Harriet Ziefert and Yukiko Kido. He couldn't get enough of them then, and he still enjoys reading them now, even though he's on to more-advanced books.

Each Flip-a-Word book focuses on three word families:

• Crab Cab (the ot family, the ab family, the it family)
• Pig Wig (the ig family, the ug family, the at family)
• Quack Shack (the ack family, the ick family, the ock family)
• Snake Cake (the ake family, the oat family, the ant family)
• Snow Bow (the eet family, the ate family, the ow family)
• Stop Pop (the op family, the un family, the an family)
• Wet Pet (the et family, the ed family, the am family)

Review by Johnny Boo, age 4

Flip-a-Word: Snake Cake
Author/illustrator: Harriet Ziefert/Yukiko Kido
Publisher: Blue Apple Books

Snake Cake is about a snake, a cake, a rake, a goat, a boat, a coat, an ant, a plant and a slant. My favorite part is when the goat is in a coat and the goat floats on a boat. I like this book because it's funny and recommended. I think the pictures are fantastic because they're nicely painted. I would recommend this book to kids who like fantastic and enormous* books.

*Editor's note: If by enormous he means "able to carry in one's medium-sized purse..."

Johnny Boo modeled his own mini flip-a-word book after Flip-a-Word: Pig Wig and turned a rug...:

...into a bug:


















Of course, he told me that these words are too easy for him now and requested that we make a book with harder words (he suggested "comet" and "vomit," but I don't think those will work).

And now, a giveaway! I have an extra hardcover copy of Flip-a-Word: Stop Pop to send to one of my readers.

Here's a little blurb from the publisher:

Turn the pages to see new words and pictures appear before your very eyes! 

Bold illustrations and die-cut pages add special kid appeal and guarantee success for beginning readers. Learning how to read has never been so much fun!

To enter, just leave a comment telling me your favorite book for beginning readers. Also, follow and subscribe to my blog. Or not. I'll use random.org to pick the winner. Giveaway probably ends December 2, 2010. Residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

Dec. 3 Update: Giveaway is almost over. I've decided to let Johnny Boo pick from a hat, so I'll accept comments until that happens.

Dec. 5 Update: We have a winner, picked by a blindfolded Johnny Boo. Congrats to Danelle, whose comment was "My favorite first book to read is Good Night Moon. I also like Baby Baby Baby."