Joseph is a young boy who is very, very, very excited about starting kindergarten in a few days. Did I mention he's excited? The problem is that Joseph is so excited, and distracted, that he's having problems paying attention. Will his new teacher be able to help him learn to listen?
Before starting kindergarten, Joseph and his mother head off to the local mall to go shopping for school supplies. While they select all the necessary items, a water bottle, lunch box, backpack and such, his mom explains what school will be like. She tells her son what to expect, how long the school day will last, and how he'll get home after school ends each day.
Before school officially starts, Joseph and his mom go to the kindergarten open house. There the young man meets his teacher, Miss Carla, and gets to look around his classroom. Then it's back home to countdown the days until school starts.
Finally, the big day arrives and Joseph finds himself in Miss Carla's class. The first thing everyone gets to do is color a "Welcome to Kindergarten" picture. What fun! But when Miss Carla tells the class to put away their drawings so they can begin circle time, Joseph keeps coloring. He's so engrossed with coloring, that he doesn't hear his teacher. The only way the teacher can get the young boy's attention is to walk over to his desk and speak to him directly. Oops.
When the same thing happens the next day, Joseph is worried. He tells his mom that he doesn't mean to be bad, and she assures him that he hasn't been bad, but that he needs to "...choose to do the right thing next time." What will happen the next day at school? Will Joseph, his teacher, and/or his mother be able to figure out how to get Joseph to listen?
Starting school can be overwhelming with so many new, and sometimes, scary new situations. And with so much going on, it's not uncommon for children to have trouble listening. Author Katie Specht tackles this subject perfectly in her newest book, Joseph Learns About Listening. She very clearly lets the reader know that having problems listening is not the child's fault and then offers a solution that children will likely appreciate. This is the second book by Katie Specht that I've reviewed (see also Henry's New Glasses), and in both books, the author offers sound advice to help children overcome common fears and issues. The tone throughout the story is very positive and upbeat, and will hold the attention of little ones who will likely be eager to learn what Joseph does to solve his listening problem. If you have a child getting ready to enter kindergarten, this would be a good book to add to your story time.
Quill says: Joseph Learns About Listening is a wonderful book to share with children who are about to enter kindergarten, as well as those who are already in school but might be having a bit of trouble paying attention to the teacher.
For more information on Joseph Learns About Listening, please visit the author's website at: www.katiespechtauthor.com
