ShareThisWhen I was a kid, my brothers and sister and I loved the book "A Big Ball of String," by Marion Holland. It is now out of print, but available here and there.
While sick in bed, a boy figures out all kinds of things he can do with a ball of string -- from turning on the light to baiting the cat with a toy mouse.
We read and reread that book and found our own inventive ways to use string.
With "Just How Long Can a Long String Be?!," Seattle author/illustrator Keith Baker has come up with his own lovely and lyrical tribute to that fun and useful stuff.
With cheerful illustrations, Baker employs a curious ant and a winsome bird to conduct a tour through the world of string.
It starts off with Little Ant asking Bird the title question.
"Well, Little Ant, it all depends," Bird answers.
It depends on whether it will tug a balloon, wrap a package, pull down a shade, anchor a sweet-pea vine, twist and tangle in a knot -- or numerous other applications that Baker illustrates in entertaining fashion.
At the end, Little Ant says:
"Thank you, Bird! Now I see ... a string's just as long as I need it to be."
What a true statement.
The last picture shows Little Ant sitting in a string swing he's made for himself.
It's a great read-aloud for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners.
Baker's other books include "Big Fat Hen," "Quack and Count" and the "Mr. and Mrs. Green" books.
(rebecca.young(at)thenewstribune.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Must credit the News Tribune in Tacoma, Wash.
