Children's Book Review Series: Hoop-la the Hippo by Patti Madison

Hoop-la the Hippo by Patti Madison and illustrated by Niki Vukadinover is a new ebook geared for young children. It has three elements sure to make it a big hit with kids; cute story, important message, and actively involves the reader.

The Story:

Hoop-la the Hippo is worried about his weight. He begins watching what he eats and exercising. Hoop-la quickly becomes obsessed with becoming thinner. One day he realizes that, although he is skinny, he is not happy and he does not feel well either.

The Message:

This is a very cute story for today's children, who are becoming more self aware much younger. It shows that while eating right and exercising help you stay healthy, too much can make you sick. Children need to learn proper nutrition and what are normal amounts of physical activity for their bodies and minds to run their best.

Active Involvement:

Children are given two options with this book; they can choose to read it themselves or have it read to them. When reading it themselves the cursor can be used to point to harder or unknown words and they will be read out loud. This is a great way to promote independence and confidence while building the reader's vocabulary. If the child chooses to have the book read to them they decide when they are ready to move on to the next page and can stop the reader at any time.

Another excellent way this book encourages involvement is by offering a quiz at the end. The child is asked to answer a few questions about the story which test their ability to comprehend and recall events and help them make more meaningful connections with the story. This aspect makes it a great addition to a classroom or home schooling environment, since mastering these skills is a building block to becoming a stronger reader.

Ebooks are becoming more popular with adults on the go. This is also a great format for children, not to replace traditional books but to enhance their reading experiences. They can be enjoyed with parents or alone if the parents are juggling other household or work responsibilities. The hands on active involvement make these ebooks feel more like a video game to young children. They will want to read the stories over and over.

You and your child can preview and purchase Hoop-la the Hippo and other popular ebooks by going to http://www.wizz-e.com .

Are your children reading ebooks already? Tell me what your family or students think of them? Let me know what you think of Hoop-la the Hippo and the other unique stories on the website.

Thanks,

Kristin : )