Green as a bean by Alison Lester

Allen and Unwin, 2013. ISBN 9781 74331 547 7.
(Age: Pre school) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Colours. In rhythmic and rhyming sentences, Alison Lester gives children an introduction to some of the world of colours using comparisons which any child will recognise. Green as a bean and red as an apple, pink like a jelly or a jar of strawberry jam are all similes the child will know and take delight in recalling when having this book read to them. Children will readily learn the words because of the rhyme and simple comparisons, neatly represented in the unadorned illustrations. Children will learn their colours, recognising them once the book is finished, and pick up the book again to rehearse and learn them over, easily holding the board book in their hands.
This is one of a group of four books by Lester, the series called, Read Along with Alison Lester. A second in the series, is One clucky hen (ISBN 1 74331 548 4) which uses the same techniques, rhyming sentences, rhythmic prose, simple illustrations, this time teaching the young child its numbers from one clucky hen to ten yellow ducklings. Some the things listed will be familiar to the young child, and they will learn some more things about what these animals do, and the noise made by some of them. The idea of counting is reiterated throughout the book, asking the child to add some of things together.
Fran Knight