A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri

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A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri

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Buy A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Category: Emerging Readers
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Reviewed by Sue Magee
Summary: Adapted from the picture book of the same name, A Scarf and a Half is a book band orange early reader which will appeal to the emerging reader.
Buy? Yes Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32 Date: August 2015
Publisher: Maverick Arts Publishing
ISBN: 9781848861770

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We first met Granny Mutton in a picture book and here's what our reviewer, Rachael, had to say about it:

A Scarf and a Half follows the story of Little Lionel, whose Granny just loves to knit. When she knits him a scarf for his birthday, he just can't help but be disappointed, after all it isn't a nice bouncy ball. But it isn't just any old scarf, Granny loves knitting so much that it's a scarf and a half, and luckily for Lionel his friends are on hand to show him just how many different uses it could have.

This book has a lovely message about how to appreciate the gifts you are given, and making the best of any situation. It teaches children to appreciate not only gifts, but the importance of family and friends, making it a very happy book to read as a family. It mixes humour nicely with its message and is written in a way which makes it a very satisfying read. There are plenty of touches which help this, not only the humour, but also moments like Clickety click...Flicked needles… which utilise sounds within the text, making it a punchy, noisy book to read.

This illustrations are fun, and I love Little Lionel all wound up in his scarf and a half. Much like the scarf, the whole book is a bit like a 'dazzling rainbow', each page being packed full of images and bright colours. The layout of the text alongside these illustrations works really well to assist readers in making in loud and fun, whether it be stretching the words across the page or 'splat'ting them alongside Lionel in his muddy puddle, it is a loud, bright book which is fun for everyone reading.

Overall, I think this is a nice book to read with little ones who might not always fully understand the value of gifts. It is a simple story in a fairly common farm yard setting, but it is written and presented nicely, published by a fairly small publishing company who, in my opinion, have chosen this title well.

Thanks, Rachael!

Those lovely people at Maverick Arts have now converted the original picture book into an early reader. The format is smaller - more in line with 'book' rather than 'picture book' size, but it would still work well as a picture book as the gorgeous illustrations are still there. The vocabulary is challenging in places but presented in a clear font which is a pleasure to read. There's a slight gloss on the page, but not so much as to be distracting and the paper is of a good-enough quality to prevent bleed-through from the reverse of the page which can confuse new readers or those with dyslexia. It's a classy early reader!

If it's knitting sheep that you're looking for in your bedtime reading, then look no further than The Great Sheep Shenanigans by Peter Bently and Mei Matsuoka. For another early reader from Maverick Arts we can recommend Yuck! Said the Yak (Early Reader) by Alex English and Emma Levey.

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Buy A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
Buy A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy A Scarf and a Half (Early Reader) by Amanda Brandon and Catalina Echeverri at Amazon.com.

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