Good fun for new readers

By Jim Trageser

Reviewed December 2009

A fun, even funny beginning reader's book designed for the Dr. Seuss set, "I Lost My Sock" teaches basic vocabulary and grammar with a story drawn from young children's own real-life experiences.

Author Lin Jakary's story builds up confidence with lots of easily recognized words like "boat," "socks," "run," "stay," etc. And illustrator Ryan Olson's bright drawings capture the silliness of Jakary's tale.

The book lacks the simple elegance of classics like Seuss' work, though, and some of the words – "night," "fright," "Cays" – may cause kindergarteners or first-graders to stumble.

But it also works well as a shared read-along book with parents and children, and it's become a favorite of the young readres in this household.

Review by Jim Trageser. Jim is a writer and editor living in Escondido, Calif., and was a contributor to the "Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD" (1993) and "The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Blues" (2005).