'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Review: Sign About Books



There's no denying there's something good in the recent penchant for signing with babies. Developing speech and articulation is, after all, a lifelong task, and with the mastering of vocal chords and vocabularly skills kicking in well after comprehension in most children, signing has become a legitimate way to put the kybosh on baby/toddler frustration that plagues communication between parent and child.

This clever series of board books by Child's Play are sturdy enough for real littlies, and informative enough for older children, too. Getting Ready shows little readers how to sign in a variety of getting-themselves-ready ways from waking up (thumb and index finger snap open near eyes) to putting on tights (closed hands move up legs while legs and body wiggle - cute!) and even doing a poo! (you can imagine the sign for that one).

Going Out takes kids out and about, with signs for social interaction, different types of weather and venues like the swimming pool (swimming motion then a square for 'pool'). It also shows kids how to sign when needing to be careful, wait or have a rest.

Fascinating as well as priceless for little ones, especially those with speech delays, these books are peppered with gorgeous illustrations that visually show kids (and adults) exactly how to sign. The back cover shows the variety of hand types used, such as the flat hand, cupped hand and 'o' hand.

The signs used in this book are taken from British Sign Language and can be taught to children as young as seven months.

Also in this series:
Meal Time
Play Time

Child's Play also publish Baby Signing books - My First Signs and My First Animal Signs.

Title: Getting Ready and Going Out
Illustrator: Anthony Lewis
Publisher: Child's Play, $14.95RRP each
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9781904550778/ 9781904550808
For ages: 0-4
Type: Board Book