#365PictureBooks 29. Catch That Plane! by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Sylvie Currin Korankova

Sutton, S. (2014). Catch That Plane! Newton, Australia: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781921720680
Pages: 24
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction / Non-fiction Read-Aloud
Rating: 4 stars

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Rushing to the

airport.

What do I see?

Plane at the gate,

a-ready and a-steady.

I hope it's going to wait.

We're late as late can be! 

Kiwi author, Sally Sutton, has presented us with a fantastic book about going on a plane trip for the first time and the hustle and bustle that you find in an airport.  It goes through all the aspects of departure, from arriving at the airport through to take-off.

Told in repetitive and simple text, it is aimed at young children - 3-6yrs.  There is a kind-of rhyme to it but I find it a bit disjointed.  Better to try not to rhyme it.  The first and last line rhyme, and the two lines in the middle rhyme.

Krankova's illustrations tell the story really well.  Done in muted colours with a bluey-grey background, they make the main point of each page stand out.  Many of the illustrations are very 'busy', however that is in keeping with the chaos that is often part and parcel of an airport.  You could tell the story by the illustrations alone which makes it a great book for children to read alone.

At the rear, there is a 'Facts' page with a glossary of terms asking children to see if they can spot each item in the book.  The information in this has also been worded at the same level making this a really good non-fiction narrative for young children, either to just enjoy because they like planes, and for those that are about to go on, or have just be on, and airplane.

This is a really good book to read to your child if they have never been on a plane before and you are about to head off overseas (or even within the country).  

This would also be a good book for using in class as a non-fiction narrative for a variety of reasons including sequencing, procedures, transportation, and story-starters - each page is a great place for children to start their own story, especially if they have been on a plane trip and they need a reminder to help them visualise their own trip.

I'm looking forward to sharing this book with our junior students and teachers this year. 

I got my copy of Catch That Plane! from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.