Recommended Read Alouds Summary   To Parents To Educators Personal Note   Umbrella Written and Illustrated by Taro Yashima Puffin, August 25, 1997  Momo is delighted with the umbrella and rain boots that she receives on her third birthday. She eagerly awaits the rain so that she can use them. With the ability to use her brand new rain gear comes feelings of maturity and being "a grown up lady". Children will enjoy the sound of the rain - "bon polo... ponpolo... boto boto ponpolo". Most likely they will recite it along with you after a few readings. The Japanese characters are a nice way to introduce your child to forms of writing in other cultures. Umbrella, which won the  Caldecott Honor award for its illustrations, also provides the chance for students to discuss favorite objects with each other. Students may be invited to bring these special objects to class in order to share them with their classmates. Momo is an endearing character who brings to life  the feelings of becoming a grown up. The stylish and simple illustrations lend itself to the imagination and the bright colors give the book a cheerful feel. Momo will make you pause and reflect on the joys of gaining independence during the pre-school years. Tikki Tikki Tembo By Arlene Morsel Illustrated by Blair Lent Henry Holt & Co. March 15, 1968 Tikki Tikki Tembo retells the story of  how the Chinese people resorted to giving their children very short names after a history of passing on very long names. This story has a moral - for children, the lesson is to realize that parents give warnings for good reason. For parents, the lesson is- that names must be chosen carefully! The story's repetition enables children to read along during predictable portions and can encourage confidence in reading. With its fun alliteration, this book is a natural selection for choral reading. Its unique illustrations will also provide opportunity to compare different types of artwork among varying cultures. Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo - just saying the name of the main character is so fun that you'll want to make this a read-aloud staple. In addition the line and wash illustrations provide a lovely backdrop to this ancient tale.