The Patty Cake Kids

Patricia Dischler
Illustrator: Ashley Kirchner

11/11/2007

Review by Molly

The children are arriving at the Patty Cake Preschool where Periwinkle their provider is waiting for them. The day will begin with putting on Imagination Caps and going to the group time circle.  Rachel, in her purple cow girl hat, Ivy wearing a tall peaked hat with blue scarves flowing from it and Taylor in his knight’s helmet are already ready.  Andy, Tara, more children join the circle.  All but Austin.  Austin has lost his Imagination Cap.  All the other children try to help, Periwinkle offers hopeful suggestions and Austin searches.  Will he find his cap and where can it be?

My resident critics, 14 six year old first graders settled themselves for the reading of yet another new book.  The kids are beginning to realize that teacher receives books ongoing and that they can help by listening and then expressing their opinion regarding the book, the illustrations, the story and their own feelings.  Not that far removed from the day care situation, and many with younger siblings who attend the pre school located on our campus the first graders were very receptive to listening to The Patty Cake Kids .  The brightly colored cover caught their attention immediately.

The kids listened raptly, and when the reading was finished voiced their opinion that the illustrations and the story are good, that  The Patty Cake Kids is a good book ‘for us’ and that the author ‘has done a good job.’  Each child agreed they will happily hear the story again, and they will choose the book for themselves during ‘free time reading.’

The Patty Cake Kids is a well written work produced by an author who knows children well, writer Dischler has had her own preschool business for the better part of two decades.  Filled with page after page of colorful full page displays ‘The Patty Cake Kids and the lost imagination cap’ is a book sure to please the younger set.  Problem solving, how to go about finding what is lost, is addressed in a nice low key manner meant to guide youngsters into trying to help themselves rather than just weeping, I can’t find it, and waiting for others to locate what is missing.

The Patty Cake Kids provided a springboard for a class discussion about imagination and about helping ourselves and not just sitting weeping or grumpy waiting for mom or someone else to locate our lost possessions.  Illustrations are child friendly, the story content is just enough for the beginning of school when we cannot yet sit still for long or involved tales. The Patty Cake Kids  will go on our classroom book shelf where it is available for child use.

You can find more about this book at the author's website, PatriciaDischler.com.