Tanka Tanka Skunk!

My 2 and 3 year old love this book. They both pound out the rhythm as we read it and they get very excited about reading it faster and faster and trying to keep up with the rhythm. Not a great bed time story since it tends to get them riled up instead of calmed down. It's one of the few books in their collecton that I don't get bored reading over and over again. Like another reviewer I kept checking this out at the library and finally decided to buy it. The illustrations are large and easy to see and have helped my kids learn the names of different animals.

I work in a first grade class and love to read them books. This book was their favorite. They loved the rhythm and loved shouting out the chant, "Tanka Tanka Skunk!" It also introduced without saying so, syllables. I tried it with my Kdg. kids today, the last day of school and they loved it!

I read to first graders every week. The other day I brought in Tanka Tanka Skunk and it was an immediate hit. The children loved the rhythm and quickly got into the story. They loved it so much I read it again the next time that I saw them and now plan to use it as a "happening" to share with other classes.

This is a terrific book! I've read it aloud to several groups of Norwegian second-graders who are just beginning to learn English. They started saying it together with me already on the second reading. They like it so much that they ask for it by chanting "Tanka skunk" until I capitulate and read it again. The illustrations are colorful and fun, and can be seen from a distance. Just remember to chant it as you read, and you'll be all set!

A skunk named Skunk and an elephant named Tanka love rhythm and rhyme. Skunk and Tanka like to meet different animals like alligator and polar bear. They always make a rhythm with the animals' names by dividing the syllables into beats. Skunk and Tanka also make rhymes out of the animal names. The book is an amazing way to teach syllables. Webb uses rhyme as well as rhythm to emphasize the syllables in the names of animals most children know. The illustrations only add to the magic. The animals are cartoon structure with vibrant colors that catch the audience's eyes. It brings excitement and learning together as one. The classroom becomes full of educated musicians.