Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook

When I go to the library I like to read it, because it is fun reading the book. When I read it to my little nephew he started to laugh. I think you should read this book. If you read it, you will like it.

Every week I go to the elementary school and read to the three kindergarten classes. Last week I had a very nice surprise, one class had a book for me to read to them. The book was Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook. The story is great and the illustrations are even better. The students loved the story and could not wait for me to turn the page. When I finished reading the story the class informed me that they purchased the book for me because it reminded them of me reading to them every week.

I found this book at the book store just the other day. I read it to my daughter's 1st grade class this afternoon. Only one or two of the 16 children had seen/heard of it before. They loved it. They were straining to see the wonderful bright colored pictures more closely before we passed it around. They enjoyed picking out familiar characters in the illustrations. They appreciated the humor of Principal Rittenrotten's predicament. They all agreed that it would be neat if characters really came out of books. The length/number of words is just right for this age to hear or read themselves.

Michael Garland's high powered imagination and razzle-dazzle illustrations bring the story of a one-of-a-kind teacher to energetic life. There's zip and color on every page plus a lesson for all. Zack is a pretty disheartened young fellow. It's the first day of school, and he's sure the semester will be as boring as ever. Suddenly a small ball of fire whips through the door in the person of Miss Smith, a new teacher. She is unlike any teacher Zack has ever known because when she reads to the class from her story book, the characters actually come to life. There are swashbuckling pirates so real that Zack could actually feel waves pounding against the sides of their pirate ship. And then, when she finished reading "all the characters and adventure whooshed back into her book." From then on Zack couldn't wait to go to school. One day when Miss Smith was stuck in traffic and couldn't reach the school, others read from her book and the same amazing things happened. Except for one problem: the storybook characters didn't want to return to the book once the story was over. That could make for a very crowded room! "Who would ever have guessed that reading could be so much fun?"

I was looking through children's books at the book store and immediately this one caught my eye. I have read several Michael Garland books to my twins and they have loved his stories and illustrations. This one is no different. I laughed aloud at the store as I turned the pages. I thought of all of those wonderful teachers out there that encourage reading in their students because they are fantastic story readers. I immediately ordered the book for my son's teacher (who happens to have short spikey hair like Miss Smith). What a wonderful book to give as a gift to a child and a teacher!