The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt (2008)

I missed this book when we got it, but yesterday I used it in preschool storytime.  The pages are translucent, creating the look of fog. We first see each character in black, creating the opportunity for lots of guessing (narrative skill). Upon turning the page we see the character in full color, but we can also see, though faintly through the fog, the previous characters. There's not much story, but there is rhyming text (phonological awareness) and it sparked lots of interest and discussion.

- Jane Corry

    This is a book that takes us on a journey through a foggy forest. The pages are transparent except for black outlines of animals, people and objects. Kids try to guess what these images are based on their outline and size. They also get better at guessing once they figure out that there is a fairy tale theme. When the page is turned, they are rewarded with funny, colorful pictures. The book's unique layout makes it a great choice for print motivation because kids are instantly drawn to decoding the mystery on each page. It's also a wonderful selection for narrative skills.

    Parent message: This book is great for narrative skills because it allows kids to rely on what they know about story structure as well as their knowledge of shapes and their imagination to decode what's on the next page.

- Maria Lowe