Hello, Good-bye

by Arlene Alda

Overview

An opposites book like no other — from the inimitable Arlene Alda!

Author / photographer Arlene Alda is back with another delightful photo essay. This time she tackles the concept of opposites with her keen sense of humor and sharp eye. This slightly off-beat collection of images is fodder for the imagination — an opposites book like no other. For children from five to eight, and those who still remember the magic of first discoveries, Arlene’s through-the-lens perceptions offer new ways to see and think about those remarkable “everyday” things around us.

This is the fourth book in a series that not only instructs but also raises visual awareness and fine-tunes observational skills. Look for The Book of ZZZs, Did You Say Pears?, and Here a Face, There a Face.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781770491076
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	11/16/2011
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Arlene Alda is an award-winning photographer and writer whose work has appeared in numerous galleries, as well as Life, Vogue, and People magazines. She is the author of fourteen children’s books including Iris Has a Virus; Here a Face, There a Face; Did You Say Pears?; The Book of ZZZs; and Morning Glory Monday, illustrated by Maryann Kovalski. Her photographs are featured in 97 Orchard Street, New York, written by Linda Granfield. A native New Yorker, Arlene Alda lives on Long Island with her husband, actor Alan Alda.

Editorial Reviews

Alda (Here a Face, There a Face) attempts to enter a very crowded shelf with her photography book of opposites. For "push" and "pull," she uses the example of a street crew trying to move a huge stone statue of Buddha; on the left side of the spread, they're shown exerting their weight behind the statue, while on the right, they've tied ropes around it in an attempt to haul it. The Buddha's unperturbed expression and the glimpse of an advertising model's quizzical blue eyes on a passing bus add a bit of comic commentary. Unfortunately, this pair and a few others are exceptions to what is otherwise a collection of largely unremarkable images that do not always illustrate the concepts strongly (a lion statue with its mouth open is "hungry" while another lion with its mouth closed is "full"; a sunrise and a sunset for "hello" and "good-bye" could easily be reversed). With so many choices available (photographic or otherwise), this one misses its mark. Ages 2-5. (Mar.)

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Publishers Weekly

Although it seems simple, the concept of opposites can be difficult for very young children to grasp. Alda's attractive photographs won't necessarily be a big help, featuring subjects as disparate as a palm tree on the beach and a stone Buddha being transported through the streets of New York. Most only carry a single-word description. Particularly for abstract ideas like "above" and "below," the connection between pictures (in this case of one tree's branches and a different tree's roots) and words may be fuzzy at best. This doesn't mean, however, that the book doesn't work-it just doesn't do what readers expect. It opens a world of possibilities for observation and conversation. Young listeners will be intrigued both by the unusual objects pictured on some pages and by the photographer's creative view of more familiar items. Berries are sweet and juicy, yes, but soft? Of course they are, particularly when compared to pumpkins and squashes, but it's still a novel way of seeing them, one that offers children (and adults) an enchanting new perspective. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews