What Am I?

School Library Journal

PreS-K-The latest offering from the duo who brought readers What Noise? (1994) and How Many? (1993, both Dial) looks at occupations. The left side of each double-page spread features a photograph of young children dressed as farmers, an astronaut, musicians, and even parents. Opposite each activity are the tools of the trade for youngsters to name. The full-color photos are bright and clear on a white background. Craft ideas abound: for example, the astronaut's helmet is made out of posterboard painted silver, decorated with pieces of colored foil and what appear to be gumdrops. A perfect introduction to people's jobs that will provide loads of creative play opportunities.-Ann Cook, Winter Park Public Library, FL

Hazel Rochman

As in MacKinnon's "What Size?" (1995), this concept book uses brightly colored photographs of children at play with toys and everyday objects. This time, each child is pretending to be an adult at work: fireman, chef, astronaut, musician, farmer, doctor, clown, and, finally, parent. Each left-hand page shows a child playing dress-up with appropriate clothes and tools; on the opposite page are individual objects associated with the occupation. For example, Lara asks her teddy bear where it hurts as she wraps gauze bandages around him. What is she? The answer, "Doctor," is on the opposite page, which shows a toy stethoscope, scissors, syringe, case, and bandage, each one labeled in large, clear type. There may be some confusion between the real tool and the toy version, but kids will enjoy a book that shows adult roles they can act out in their games.