Today is Read Aloud Thursday!  It is hosted over at Hope Is the Word.  Also, give her Armchair Cybils post a look.  She’s reviewed some great picture books.

The Short:  Hip, hip, hooray for Annie McRae indeed!  This is a pity-me-not book about how to be and feel awesome even when all the adults in your life are way too busy to notice.  Usually, the adults in Annie’s life are on it and give her lots of attention and encouragement.  However, one day Annie wakes up and all the adults in her life are just too busy with other things to notice Annie.  At first she’s pretty devastated but then she decides that she doesn’t need their encouragement — she only needs her encouragement.  She still tries to engage the adults in her life, but when they are unable to, she says, “Hip, hip, hooray for Annie McRae” to herself.  My son enjoyed saying, “Hip, hip, hooray for Annie McRae.”  I enjoy most any empowering story about taking control of your life.  We recommend it. 

The Long:  My son will say, “Hip, hip, hooray,” all the time now.  We’ll change it up to Hip, hip, hooray for broccoli or hip, hip, hooray for cheese or mama or papa!  It doesn’t rhyme as well, but it definitely works.  I found out about this book because I was looking for other books by Leah Wilcox who wrote, Falling For Rapunzel and this book just happened to be on the shelf.  Admittedly, I like the dimples on Annie McRae and figured that between the title of the book and the fantastic illustrations that it would be a book worth reading.  I didn’t quite realize that it would be a book worth reading again and again and again and again.  The illustrations are a lot of fun and if you look carefully on each page you’ll find a horse shoe.  For some pages, you’ll have to look very carefully.  It’s a small detail, but adds a bit to the book.

The characters are all excellent and yes, sometimes adults are too busy or too occupied to give children all the attention they deserve.  It’s the greatest flaw of being a singular human being.  I did not feel compelled to edit or change any parts of this book when reading it to my son.

Admittedly, I rather enjoyed saying, “Hip, hip, hooray for Annie McRae!” It put both me and my son in a great mood.

Where Obtained:  Library.

FTC Disclosures:  Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” If you click on the link and purchase the book, I will receive an affiliate commission.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Facts:

Publisher: Gibbs Smith

Publication Date: August 3, 2001

ISBN-13: 978-1586850586