Guest Author - Cheryl Lewis



Tub Toys arrived in this home to two very enthusiastic little boys. The bright colors of the book cover got their attention right away. Unfortunately dinner wasn’t going to be sacrificed for book reading. The older folks in this home tend to get a bit grumpy if dinner is burned. However, my “I’m sorry we can’t read right this minute” didn’t deter my two little boys ages two and five from hopping on the couch and having a quick “read” of the book together.

They sat and looked at the book for almost 30 minutes. My five year old was able to pick out some words he recognized, while my two year old talked about the pictures. At least twice they flipped the last page and said “I like this book, let’s read it again” and flipped right back to the front page.

That night at bedtime the story they wanted to read was of course Tub Toys. I don’t usually read a book “cold turkey” or without first giving it a quick reading glance. I find that it’s more fun for the kids if I’ve had a look at the book and can embellish a bit when I’m reading. I didn’t get that opportunity with Tub Toys.

Even so, we had tremendous fun reading this book. The boys loved it! They were able to relate how they always want so many toys in the tub when they take a bath, just like the little boy in the book. You see, the book is all about a little boy who is supposed to be getting in the bath but just has to gather up all his tub-time toys. By the time he’s finished and his mom decides that’s enough toys, the tub is so full there isn’t room enough for him.

Not only is the book fun, it also offers some educational value as well. Throughout the book you’ll find number words that offer the opportunity to stop and count fingers. You’ll also find in several spots in the book where there are number words there is a picture that offers the chance to count the items in that picture instead of fingers. The number words are usually in red where the all the other words are in black. They stand out and get you kids attention.

There are also some other words that will show up in red. It gave me the opportunity to explain what those words meant, in short clear terms. The funny thing is that we use those words every day around our house but in the book the boys weren’t sure what they meant. Again, it offered another educational opportunity.

If you’re interested in purchasing Tub Toys for your family you can find it listed here at Tub Toys. It will make a fun and enjoyable addition to your library.

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