A unique and adorable new way to learn counting from 1 to 10 and then backwards from 10 to 1. Soo comes into the kitchen complaining to her mother about her numerous boo-boos. Thankfully, mom has a way to take care of each one.
Soo’s Boo-Boos She’s Got 10! by Tilda Balsley is better than your average counting book. It’s clever. It’s creative. From a stiff elbow to crunched toes, from chapped lips to a dripping nose, and from a burned tongue to a nagging mosquito bite and more, Soo goes through her list of ailments. Her sympathetic mom then goes about tackling them one by one, finding the perfect cure for them all.
Kids will relate to this sweet and funny rhyming story. Kids see their moms as fixers of problems and Soo is no different. More than a simple counting book, readers will delight in witnessing Soo’s play for sympathy and learning how her mother solves each problem. The melodic prose is complemented by beautiful artwork from Shelagh McNicholas.
An all-around winner.
Rating: 
Hardcover: 28 pages
Publisher: Tiger Tales (March 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1589251180
ISBN-13: 978-1589251182
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.
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Tilda Balsley is the author of LET MY PEOPLE GO!(Kar-Ben)This delightful picture book tells the story of Passover in a reader’s theatre format that is engaging, humorous, and appealing for kids and adult of all ages. The interactive nature of LET MY PEOPLE GO! makes it a perfect selection for schools and families.
Tilda lives with her husband in South Carolina. Along with writing she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, trips to the beach, and tending to the flowers in her yard.
Tell me a little bit about your latest book. Why you were drawn to write about a Jewish topic?
The idea for this book and others began when I discovered the fun of readers’ theater for kids. For my students at school, I turned some our favorite books into scripts. VOIL;, they wanted to read them over and over. The ancient stories of faith are naturals for this form and the story of Moses and the ten plagues is the first I wrote. It had a trial run with the children of my own congregation.
What type of research was involved?
I stayed very close to the scriptural text for this book so extra research was not needed. Good writers are always doing research about the craft, however. We study skills like humor, plot, good rhyme (and bad), and characterization. We also research to see if there are competing books already published and which publisher might be interested in a particular book.
How did you become a children’s writer?
My mother loved books and taught me to love them as well. My father sat down with me at homework time and taught me to love writing. In college I studied poetry, practicing the art of rhythm and (sometimes) rhyme. Soon, the wonderful books I read to my own children introduced me to the genre of my heart. A later career, teaching elementary school reading, cinched it. I had to give it a try.
What are you working on now?
I’m still working on biblical readers’ theater, but I also have a number of picture books that are not religious—some completed, some in process. All books have the values of the author built in, but some messages come in through the back door. I love to write books that beg to be illustrated because books that combine good pictures with good words beg to be read.
What are a few fun facts about you?
I grew up as an army brat. That makes me patriotic, adaptable, and restless. My husband is tolerant of my urge to move. We have lived in five houses on this downtown block of his hometown.
I love color. My living room is purple, my dining room is red and my kitchen is yellow.
Pulling weeds is my favorite form of exercise. My body may not always show the progress, but my yard does.
What is your favorite holiday?
Anytime my whole family is together is like a holiday. I especially love gatherings at the beach. These times are as memorable as any designated holiday.
To learn more about LET MY PEOPLE GO! Please check out Tilda’s web site at www.tildatalks.com
Illustrations by Ana Juan and Roz Chast
In a unique collaboration, artists from The New Yorker and other leading figures from the contemporary art scene have created illustrations, paintings, and sculpture inspired by the Met's new production of Humperdinck's beloved opera based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. The works are currently on view in the Met's exhibition space, and many of them also appeared in a portfolio in a recent issue of The New Yorker.
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We are living in boo-boo land over here. I will make sure to check this one out.