I Hear a Pickle - by Rachel Isadora (Hardcover)

About the Book

Children explore their five senses, learning what they can see, smell, hear, touch, and taste.

Book Synopsis

* "Isadora's book about the five senses is aimed perfectly at another sense--kids' sense of humor."--The Horn Book, starred review

Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora's sweet and simple introduction to the five senses is perfect for the youngest children, who will recognize themselves in charming vignettes portraying a wide range of childhood activities. Hearing, smelling, seeing, touching, tasting--our five senses allow us to experience the world in so many ways! With our ears we hear the birds sing; with our nose we smell the stinky cheese; with our eyes we see the moon and stars (and sometimes glasses help us see even better!); with our skin we feel the rain (and learn not to touch the hot stove!); and with our tongue we can taste our favorite foods. Isadora's lively art reveals the power and delight of each sense.

Review Quotes

* "A sensory tour of early childhood, exploring common sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. . . . The artist's trademark style is perfectly suited to depict the child-focused activities of these diverse, expressive, and engaging tots. . . . A sour, spicy, slippery, crunchy, green treat. Preschoolers and their caregivers will devour this oversize title and come back for more."--School Library Journal, starred review

* "A tribute to the five senses that will resonate with young readers. . . . An ethnically diverse group of young children tell readers what they sense--or don't--in simple declarative sentences that are sometimes embellished by the kids' thoughts. . . . Children of most skin and hair colors will find at least one face like their own in these pages. . . . A great read-aloud, an easy read for beginning readers, and a model for student books."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Isadora's book about the five senses is aimed perfectly at another sense--kids' sense of humor. . . . Small vignettes of children exploring their world, both indoors and out. . . . Interjections throughout, printed in italics, add read-aloud pleasure. . . . Delicate ink and watercolor illustrations on white backgrounds nicely elicit a young child's point of view. . . . Be sure to have a jar of baby dills on hand for this one."--The Horn Book, starred review

* "This fetching concept book from veteran author/illustrator Isadora offers a gallery of sensory experiences. . . . Has the gently carnivalesque charm of Krauss and Sendak's A Hole Is to Dig as kids weigh in on different experiences and responses in multiple vignettes per page. Some of the vignettes are self-contained moments of poetry; sometimes a sequence provides a satisfying bijou story. Delicate lines with simple watercolor shading and patterns keep the small tableaux simple, but they're vivid with life from the multicultural cast of bouncy kids and the evocation of life's sensory encounters, from the homely smell of baby poo to the glorious vision of fireworks. This will be excellent fodder for sharing in a preschool curriculum, and audiences will be chiming in to offer their own examples of what they hear, see, and most definitely smell.--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Simplicity is the defining note of Isadora's inviting introduction to the senses. . . . Drawing from everyday experiences in a child's life, Isadora pays tribute to the senses, as well as to the natural world, friends, family, food, pets, curiosity, and discovery. . . . Isadora's book brims with teachable moments, yet it's her expressive ink and watercolor vignettes that steal the spotlight."--Publishers Weekly

"Isadora's simple ink drawings, brightened with watercolors, have an unpretentious charm. . . . The clean, white pages provide spacious settings for the characters, whose actions, reactions, and observations will intrigue young kids. Well designed for raising awareness of the senses, this is fine for reading aloud in a group setting and particularly effective one-on-one."--Booklist

About the Author

Rachel Isadora (www.rachelisadora.com) received a Caldecott Honor for Ben's Trumpet, and has written and illustrated numerous other books for children, including Bea in The Nutcracker, Bea at Ballet, Jake at Gymnastics, Say Hello!, Peekaboo Morning, the Lili at Ballet series, and several classic tales set in Africa (Old Mikamba Had a Farm, The Night Before Christmas, Rapunzel, and The Princess and the Pea). She lives in New York City.