Gesundheit!

What do pepper, flamingos, and snails have in common? NO! not SpongeBob. Yes, they all live side by side in a picture book originally published in German as Wo wachst der Pfeffer? by Brigitte Raab, illustrated by Manuela Olten. (English translation "Where does pepper come from?) The book poses questions like Why are flamingos pink; Why do sheep have curly wool, Why isn't a whale a fish? The answer is posed on the left hand side of the spread and the answer posted presumably by an imaginary reader with a whacky sense of humor on the right. On the following page a child or group of children either agree or vehemently disagree with the answer with a declarative Yes or No. The right hand page gives the correct, scientific answer to the question. Confess! Did you know that flamingos are pink because what they eat is pink? Delicious color palette throughout. Check out the spoolie bedecked sheep. Priceless. I just read this book to a large class of second graders with great success.