How do you introduce synonyms or euphemisms for "buttocks" to your children? We've used the commonly used terms: "bum," "bottom," or "butt." But, how do you get your kids to remember "gluteus maximus" or "derriere"?
Two weeks ago, my son and I were at the library browsing through the kids' books. We spotted a great new book, Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black. (This book caught my eye because my husband always says, "chicken," any time he wants to give a nonsensical response. What he's actually doing is alluding to, and reappropriating, Bob Dylan's lyrics, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken," from "Tombstone Blues." Nevertheless, whenever he says it, our son laughs hysterically. So when I saw this book with the word, "chicken" on it, I was reminded of my husband's goofy catch phrase and I had to add it to our stack of books to check out of the library.)
So, apparently there are a plethora of synonyms and euphemisms for "buttocks," and Chicken Cheeks cleverly explores these possibilities by pairing an animal with each new term. Each pairing is like a mnemonic device, carefully crafted from a cute rhyme and/or alliteration, making it easy for children to remember the new synonyms. For example, the alliteration of "T" sounds in "Turkey tushy" and the rhyming "y" sounds create a memorable association or link between the words, "turkey" and "tushy." Let's take a look at how these connections are reinforced by the ingenious illustrations from the book:
In the next example, the author simply uses a rhyme to connect the words, "Moose caboose":
My favorite pairings that the author creates are: "Duck-Billed Platypus Gluteus Maximus" and "Polar Bear Derriere." What a fantastically brilliant, not to mention poetic, way to introduce these sophisticated words to young readers! (I only wish I had thought of this myself, because it is just too cute!) Because this book does not contain complex sentences, the author leaves it up to the readers' imagination to figure out what is going on and even allows for a tiny subtext in the background. (Hint: keep your eyes open and look for the ants on each page--they clearly have a plan of their own!) You'll have hours of fun with this educational and memorable book, because what could be funnier and more entertaining for a child than a book that's all about rears?
If you'd like to see the author, Michael Ian Black, reading from Chicken Cheeks, please follow this link:
If you are interested in buying this book, here's a link to Amazon:
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