Britannica's ready for school words by Hannah Campbell. Illus. by Sara Rhys

A large, hard cover book showcases 1,000 words for big kids that they may need to know before they go to school. It is organised in 2-page spreads around themes and events that the child may encounter, like Breakfast time, Playtime, Under the sea, A trip to the doctor, Grocery Shopping and By the seaside. The reader initially meets the main characters, 7 families from different backgrounds. Each of the themes is illustrated with easily identified pictures that are labelled. A parent or carer can point to different things in the spread and help a young child name what they are.  There are lots of opportunities to discuss each item and talk about differences in the picture and in the child’s own home. The pictures will also give readers the opportunity to expand their vocabulary and for the parent/carer to talk about things that surround them.

The small, labelled illustrations are very appealing for young children. The people have happy faces, and the diversity of characters and activities is very inclusive. A table of Contents allows the reader to choose what theme they might like to examine while a comprehensive index will be useful for those who might like to examine a particular topic, e.g., football.

This would be a welcome addition to a home library and very useful for pre-school children.

Themes: Vocabulary.

Pat Pledger