How to Teach a Slug to Read

K-Gr 2—This charming and funny manual is also informative for older siblings or parents who are beginning the teaching process themselves. The bits of advice include: "Attach labels to Little Slug's favorite things," "Read out loud to him," "Point out words that repeat," "Sound out words," "Make a vocabulary list," and "Be patient." Everything is made amusing by adding the slug perspective ("underline favorite words in slug slime"). Presented in a combination of bold text and speech bubbles, Pearson's text is simple and appealing. Illustrations are cartoonish with plenty of bug appeal, humor, and a scintilla of grossness. Beyond its cleverness, this is a terrific bookfomercial for READING. The final pages share some of the joys to be found in books in an unpreachy way. And that is no small achievement.—Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME