Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illustrated by Lois Ehlert. The target audience is preschool and kindergarten students, both boys and girls.

-Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars *****

-Summary: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom highlights learning the alphabet through catchy rhymes and an irresistible beat that readers can’t help but to just fall in love. The letters of the alphabet make their way up to the top of a coconut tree as the letters help eachother to the top.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom seems to be a favorite of all young students who have an opportunity to read this classic. It was read to me as a young child and reading it again brings me back to my childhood and learning the alphabet. Students love to sing along with the beat and be engaged in the rhymes. It is a fun way to learn the alphabet and become familiar with the order of the letters instead of just singing the regular old alphabet song. The whole alphabet in order is listed in the front and back of the book represented in all different colors with both uppercase and lowercase letters. The book contains a lot of alliteration that makes the text really flow and come to life. The letters of the alphabet are always referenced in order and are bolded throughout the story to stick out from the other words surrounding it. It really allows readers to learn the alphabet in a more exciting and meaningful way than just regular repetition. Students can have fun learning through this book.  The illustrations are extremely colorful with each page having a pink and orange polka-dotted boarder. The illustrations are very simple, only containing the text, the letters of the alphabet and the coconut tree, simple illustrations to go along with simple text. The letters of the alphabet really stick out on each page. The letters are represented in different colors too helping them make a statement on the page.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom to help teach the alphabet and letters. Both lowercase and uppercase letters are represented to show students how they different what they look like. It also repeats the order of the letters frequently to emphasize it. It is a fun way to teach students the alphabet instead of showing them an alphabet line, especially when children are younger. It helps them have more of a connection. Also, not only does the text say the letters the pictures also show the letters so both visual and auditory learners. I also feel a lot of spelling activities can go along with this book to practice the letters they learn from reading this book. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom would be a great addition to any classroom library!