All Around Bustletown - Children's Book Review

Coronavirus has not impacted the residents of the fictional Bustletown. These folks are out and about enjoying the beautiful spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in the town. And if you're stuck at home with dreary weather right now like so many of us are, have no fear! You can experience the world of Bustletown right from the comfort of your home through the All Around Bustletown book series by Rotraut Susanne Berner.



There are four books: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Open up the cover of one of these beautifully illustrated hardback books, and enter a busy world where farmers growing pumpkins, ladies take dogs for a walk, children chase after a ball, and an old man slips on a banana peel, among other everyday and silly happenings.

There are no words to tell just one story. Instead, the reader is encouraged to create his or her own story. Check out the back of each book to discover who some of the characters are and read their story prompts. Each time you read the book, you can focus on a different character. And with so much activity on each page, you're sure to spot something new to discover with each read.

I read the Spring book three times in a row with my 4-year-old daughter, and I loved how we read the book a different way each time. The first time, it was just me pointing out things happening on each page. Then, we picked characters from the back of the book to focus on during our second read-through. I narrated what they were doing and asked my daughter questions, such as, "Why do you think the dog is mad?" and "What do you think this lady is going to do next?" On our third time, we picked different characters to focus on.



What's also neat about the book series is that you get to see the characters and town change and grow from book to book. For instance, in the Spring book, there's a building under construction with a sign that says "Kindergarten Coming Soon". And then in the Fall book, you see the characters walking past the grand opening of the Kindergarten building. I love that the books continue the story of this town and show its changing seasons.

These books would make amazing birthday or Christmas presents for young readers ages 4 to 8.

All Around Bustletown books are published by Prestel Publishing and are on bookstore shelves now. I received free review copies in exchange for my honest review.

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