This is a really fun book for the littles with made up words. It could be great to use in a class partly for it's entertainment value, but also because it could be used to discuss and develop language development strategies. There are many opportunities to ask children what they think the made up words mean and why they think so. This will give them the opportunity to share their own strategies for constructing meaning with new words. This could also be used to help native speaking students appreciate and understand what second language learners go through.

As my professor read this book to us, I remember feeling puzzled and I even started to zone out. At the end of the story, she indicated that this must be how English learners feel as they struggle to make meaning from language and text. Some of it they get, but much of it they don't. It also prompted me to consider some of the twisted facial expressions that are directed my way on occasion as I teach a new concept. What a great story to remind us that we all struggle and have challenges in a variety of ways...This is now one of my new favorites!! ( )