Oodles of Doodles!

September 16, 2022

PreS-K-Silly sight words and a pair of colorful creatures teach the long "oo" sound in this early reader book. Two colorful, egg-shaped creatures meet each other in the park for a doodle. The possibilities grow when the Doodling Poodle joins in to doodle some noodles, and together the creatures and poodle come up with more and more ideas for doodles-and chances to use the long "oo" sound in progressively sillier sentences sure to make early readers laugh out loud. Illustrations are bright and cheerful, featuring the two colorful creatures and their beret-wearing poodle in a city park. In addition to making use of rhymes on most pages, text introduces various definitions of the word "noodle." Words are well spaced and in large print. VERDICT A strong addition to public and school early reader collections. The skillful use of sight words and multiple context definitions make this a good choice for easy reader collections everywhere.-Savannah Kitchens

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November 1, 2022
Grades K-1 Two ovoid creatures (one blue, the other green and orange with a poodle) discuss their art. ""Hello. Do you doodle? / I do doodle. Do you doodle? / I do doodle. Does your poodle doodle? / My poodle doodles oodles."" The three begin creating drawings, including several featuring oodles of noodles. The creatures' artwork is certainly interesting, but the poodle has talent, which it puts to good use. Kontis' limited-vocabulary beginning reader does a lot with ""oo"" words that can be phonetically decoded. Although the plot is thin and the text sometimes convoluted (""For two doodles of noodles, one by me, one by my poodle!""), it is certainly accessible to emerging readers. Jacques' colorful cartoon artwork features flat, minimalist objects set against simple backgrounds, and a charming poodle sporting an artist's beret. The art also interjects some nuance into the story: while the two large creatures debate noodles, the talented pooch creates an entire portfolio of salable art. A good choice for those who prefer silly stories.

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September 15, 2022
The conversation of two egg-shaped characters reinforces for beginning readers the long "oo" sound and several sight words. The larger, blue creature--replete with suspenders and a fedora--greets the smaller, green one: "Hello! Do you doodle?" The ensuing conversation affirms that not only do both characters doodle, but the poodle who belongs to the smaller egg doodles prolifically. Illustrations of the little dog drawing with pencils and pieces of white paper clarify the meaning of doodle. The friendly characters have large, googly eyes and big grins, while the petite poodle wears round spectacles and a beret. The mostly rhyming conversation--full of words ending in oodle--appears to take place in an urban park, with a low brick wall behind the characters eventually becoming a makeshift art gallery. The blue egg and the green egg barter for doodles of various subjects from each other and from the doodling poodle. The book uses more than one definition of noodle as well as funny, memorable wordplay ("Think of the doodles we could doodle with a caboodle of doodling poodles!"). All words are in large print. Two readers could easily alternate reading the dialogue aloud. Preschoolers will enjoy the short rhymes, word repetition, and cartoonlike art. One light-skinned human figure appears toward the end. Fun for young noodlers and doodlers. (Early reader. 3-6)

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