S is for Smiling Sunrise - Review

Cute, cute, cute, little book from WordsBright called S is for Smiling Sunrise, An Alphabet Book of Goodness, Beauty, and Wonder.






This was a super easy review for us to do....even at the end of our school year when the kids are sort of sick of....."school".

It is intended for Pre-K up through 3rd grade.  It was written by a dad (Vick Wadhwa) after he got bored with his daughter's normal alphabet books.  Get this....for his real job, he is a scientist with a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry!  We would love him here at our place...he would fit right in with my smarties/nerds.

We are at the point in our school year where the days are less structured and crammed full.  There is more time for play.  So, of course, our kids play house...and school!  LOL

And, they recruit anyone and everyone they can to join them.....including poor, unsuspecting neighbors and their friends.  S-girl LOVES to be in charge and be the mom/teacher.

(Reading to the two little C-men that frequent our house when they get home from school, from her throne!  Poor little things didn't know that they were just going to do more school when they got over here!)

This really is a cute little book that helps teach the A-B-C's, but instead of the normal...A is for Apple, B is for Ball....now...

A is for Artwork!  Drawing and painting.  Singing and dancing too.  Art makes life interesting!

B is for Butterflies flying in a flutter.  Did you know, that their wings are soft like butter?

See?

Cute, right?  Some of the phrases that go with the words read a little awkwardly, not quite poetically, but that didn't really bug me too much.

We even got a bonus CD with the sing along rhymes on it.  You can get this a a free download.  To me, the music was in too low of a key to be able to sing along easily.  I thought maybe it was just me, so I had my kids try and they had trouble too.  Not sure why it is so low, but it is fine for just listening.  I am just used to singing along and couldn't really do it on this one! (I gotta tell you that it took me a bit to figure it out that it was to the tune of Baa Baa Black Sheep.)

This book is a fun little read.  Not necessarily a read alone for your younger kids because while most of the A-B-C words themselves are easy, the other poetic descriptions have harder words in them.

Like, F is for Flowers!  But, you need to be a slightly more advanced reader for the rest:  Fragrant and beautiful.  Look and pause, be here now.  Be happy and peaceful!

Or I is for Infant.

Sleeping peacefully.  Potential for greatness resting gracefully!

Cute picture.  Nice sentiment.  Slightly hard "I" word.....and slightly hard poem.

So, while it might hold your little ones interest as a picture book, this is definitely a book that you will want to read to them yourself (or by a slightly older sibling that is feeling grown up!).

There is a teacher's guide that goes along with the book and gives you questions to ask or discussions to start while reading the book, but I will be honest.....we didn't use it.  I don't like to "do" too much or sometimes they suspect we are trying to teach them stuff and they get stubborn....if you know what I mean?!?!  That said, if I were to use this in an actual classroom, I would definitely see using the discussion questions and activities recommended.  But for us and our "classroom" (even the innocent bystanders) we did fine reading it and talking about it on our own without that extra help.

I loved the K page.....because.....awesome word.....and you hardly ever see them anymore.   It made me happy.  That is all.

But, have a new reader try to sound that word out!  

X, as usual, was a tricky word....and didn't actually use a word that started with X.  For this book, the word is eXcellence, aiming for the sky.  Reaching within, for your best.  Growing deep and high!

The book was designed to teach/reinforce the alphabet, increase vocabulary and comprehension, and to support character development.  With statements like J is for Jewelry!  Gems and metals fine. Dreams and goals are inner jewels.  When heart and mind align! (See?  Slightly awkward cadence and phrasing.  I didn't even know how to use punctuation when I wrote it.....but GREAT sentiment!  As long as you aren't using the book to help teach poetry construction, you will be fine!)

I liked looking at the book  because of the cute, smiling sunrise guy.  Made me want to paint him on my bathroom wall...or something!




This was a quiet, sweet little children's book that gets you beyond the normal A-B-C books that are out there.  It would make a great gift for a new mom or teacher.

Pricing and purchase information is available over at WordsBright's website.

See what other TOS Reviewers thought of this totally cute kids book.....S is for Smiling Sunrise!