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I Hear a Pickle: and Smell, See, Touch, & Taste It, Too!
An introduction to the five senses for children, who will recognize themselves in the vignettes portraying a wide range of childhood activities. Hearing, smelling, seeing, touching, tasting--our five senses allow us to experience the world in so many ways! With our ears we hear the birds sing; with our nose we smell the stinky cheese; with our eyes we see the moon and stars (and sometimes glasses help us see even better!); with our skin we feel the rain (and learn not to touch the hot stove!); and with our tongue we can taste our favorite foods.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 12, 2016
22 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Isadora
91 books80 followersRachel Isadora is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. She has written children's books on multiple topics including ballet, life in America and Africa, and has illustrated several Brother Grimm tales in an African setting. She is most well-known for her Caldecott Honor Award book "Ben's Trumpet". She was a ballet dancer before she became an illustrator and children's writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
June 17, 2018
In this book all about the five senses, the reader learns about different things we encounter each and every day. From the smell of a flower to the sight of a rainbow, and even the sound of a buzzing bee our senses work all the time, deciphering what’s going on. With all that excitement, one cannot forget the awesome sights and sounds of the lowly pickle, which gets its own mention and association to all five senses. A quick bedtime book for Neo allowed him to point out all the things related to his senses, through he was concerned that one sense of missing, that of thinking. Perhaps it’s time I introduce him to the movie The Sixth Sense? Or... maybe not!
May 10, 2021
Featured in a grandma reads session.
Here's a happy, confident book about the 5 senses. With an unexpected twist!
My group loved it. Cute and thorough.
Here's a happy, confident book about the 5 senses. With an unexpected twist!
My group loved it. Cute and thorough.
February 5, 2023
Theo loves this book from Dolly Parton but I think it’s too long.
August 5, 2019
Conner got this from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. I have mixed feelings on this one - it rated on how much he loves it and how much vocabulary he’s picked up- it would be a solid five. If I am honest and admit how much i detest reading it after the five millionth time? I would give it a 1 or 2. That said - it’s great. And I now know how to say “I do not like the smell of cow poop” in Spanish. So 4 stars it is. Get it. Prepare to possibly read it over and over, statement by statement. Stop for the giggle each time over the cow poop in solidarity.
October 23, 2019
Lu got this book from the Imagination Library, or, as he calls it, "that nice friend of mine who sends me books!" He loved this when he was much smaller and I hadn't read it to him in a while. The four-year-old version of Lu finds the two references to "poop" HILARIOUS. He laughed until he cried and then had to run to the bathroom.
(October 2019)
(October 2019)
June 8, 2019
It's a cute book, but it seems long for the age-range for which it would be appropriate.
January 23, 2017
A sensory overload with great illustrations and each page filled with lovely adjectives to describe taste, smell, touch, hear, and see.
January 6, 2022
Rating: 1.9 leaves out of 5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: .5/5
Story: 1/5
Writing: 3/5
Genre: Children/Picture Book
Type: Book
Worth?: No
This book is so false advertisement. The pickle thing doesn't come until the very end and the rest just has nothing to do with it.
Characters: 3/5
Cover: .5/5
Story: 1/5
Writing: 3/5
Genre: Children/Picture Book
Type: Book
Worth?: No
This book is so false advertisement. The pickle thing doesn't come until the very end and the rest just has nothing to do with it.
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September 26, 2024A book about the 5 senses with clear vivid examples of all. Until the very end of the story where a super delicious spicy pickle shares all 5 senses and how each sense is vivid enough that you can almost taste the pickle.
August 5, 2017
The kid was very disappointing this book is not actually about hearing pickles at all.
January 3, 2018
Doesn't have a plot, but talks about all the ways you can process sensory information: hear, smell, see, touch, taste. It gives various examples of each sense, including things not to do (like a little kid touching the outlet!). Fun little pictures.
June 30, 2018
My 2-year-old loves this book, especially the cow poop. He wants to read it over and over.
March 17, 2022
We have the English and Spanish edition and the only negative is how crowded the pages look. Overall, a fun five senses book for little ones.
September 5, 2024
Very cute and surprisingly long!
July 25, 2019
This picture book introduces each of the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch).
I taste the pickle.
It's sour.
I smell the pickle.
It's spicy.
I see the pickle.
It's green.
I touch the pickle.
It's slippery.
I hear the pickle ...
CRUNCH!
This picture book introduces young readers to the five senses, and the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library edition is bilingual with text in English and Spanish. Each sense has three two-page spreads except taste, which only has two two-page spreads. All five senses are listed in the upper right-hand corner of each spread with the sense being discussed highlighted.
A multi-ethnic cast of children describe various experiences for each sense, which makes the book very inclusive. A negation is included for each sense as well. The examples for each sense involve common occurrences for most children, which allow readers the opportunity to reflect upon their own experiences.
As a parent who tries to limit the amount of toilet talk in general conversation, I was disappointed that "poop" was mentioned twice in the section for smell. Unless a picture book is directly related to toilet training or physiological functions, discussions of "poop" don't need to be included. Given the abundance of low-brow humor in American culture, there is already a plethora of reading opportunities for fans of bathroom humor. In fact, it's a selling point for many beginning chapter books marketed to reluctant readers.
Disclosure: Dolly Parton was kind enough to send our family this book through her Imagination Library Foundation.
I taste the pickle.
It's sour.
I smell the pickle.
It's spicy.
I see the pickle.
It's green.
I touch the pickle.
It's slippery.
I hear the pickle ...
CRUNCH!
This picture book introduces young readers to the five senses, and the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library edition is bilingual with text in English and Spanish. Each sense has three two-page spreads except taste, which only has two two-page spreads. All five senses are listed in the upper right-hand corner of each spread with the sense being discussed highlighted.
A multi-ethnic cast of children describe various experiences for each sense, which makes the book very inclusive. A negation is included for each sense as well. The examples for each sense involve common occurrences for most children, which allow readers the opportunity to reflect upon their own experiences.
As a parent who tries to limit the amount of toilet talk in general conversation, I was disappointed that "poop" was mentioned twice in the section for smell. Unless a picture book is directly related to toilet training or physiological functions, discussions of "poop" don't need to be included. Given the abundance of low-brow humor in American culture, there is already a plethora of reading opportunities for fans of bathroom humor. In fact, it's a selling point for many beginning chapter books marketed to reluctant readers.
Disclosure: Dolly Parton was kind enough to send our family this book through her Imagination Library Foundation.
February 11, 2016
A book about your senses, this picture book invites the youngest of children to think about their senses and the many ways they use them in life. Starting with hearing, the book offers examples of different things that children may hear in their day like birds, bees and waves. There are also things you can’t hear, like worms. There are loud and soft noises too. Smelling has good smells like soap and bad smells like sneakers and baby diapers. Sight offers light and dark, the joy of wearing glasses to help you see, and the fun of reading. Touch has animals and rain, but also things not to touch like hot stoves or electric plugs. Taste is filled with foods, even ones like spinach that you may not want to eat at first. And then it all comes together in one crunchy pickle in the end.
Isadora uses small pictures on the page to show all sorts of interactions with the world. Children will enjoy seeing the things that they have done and then will want to talk about other ideas they have of things they have experienced with their senses. This is a book that starts a conversation with small children. Are there other things that are crunchy to eat? Other things that are dangerous to touch? Other things that you can’t hear at all? This book invites that sort of exploration of the child’s own world.
A joyous exploration of all of your senses that will have toddlers listening hard. Appropriate for ages 2-4.
Isadora uses small pictures on the page to show all sorts of interactions with the world. Children will enjoy seeing the things that they have done and then will want to talk about other ideas they have of things they have experienced with their senses. This is a book that starts a conversation with small children. Are there other things that are crunchy to eat? Other things that are dangerous to touch? Other things that you can’t hear at all? This book invites that sort of exploration of the child’s own world.
A joyous exploration of all of your senses that will have toddlers listening hard. Appropriate for ages 2-4.
February 23, 2017
This is a great introduction to the five senses for younger readers. The author presents the five senses in a large-format featuring several small pictures of children on every spacious double-page spread. Each of the book’s five sections focuses on one of the senses, illustrated by a large, multicultural cast of toddler and preschool characters which was really nice to see. Like the simple texts, the illustrations are also whimsical and charming. The white space on the pages allow the reader to focus on the individual characters displaying the senses will help younger readers make the connection between the action and the senses. I Hear a Pickle would be a great read-aloud and also very effective if used one on one.
February 22, 2016
Readers are taught the 5 senses and given many vignettes in which to see a given sense in action. I liked how all of the senses were tied together by book's end into the experience of eating a pickle.
Doesn't work so well as a read aloud, but good for sharing one-on-one. PreK-2.
Doesn't work so well as a read aloud, but good for sharing one-on-one. PreK-2.
October 4, 2017
This is a book which serves the main purpose for teaching young children about the senses. The title was so cute, I couldn't resist, and I would definitely say it works for the two to four year age group. Any children older than that would have a difficult time staying interested. There is no storyline, and the book only focuses on each of the senses, one-at-a-time. The book starts off with one of the senses in bold at the top of the page followed by some small illustrations with some things that young children often associate with that sense. For example, the first sense in bold says "HEAR," and is followed by "I hear the birdie," with a little girl pointing to a bird in a tree. The next example is a little boy who sees a bee and it says "I hear the bee. Uh-oh!" and then illustrates and lists several more examples for "hear" for the next four to five pages. The next sense is "SMELL." The first example on this page is a picture of a girl, standing at a sink and says "I smell the soap." None of the examples relate to one another and examples are different for each sense. I have a problem with this because of the title, but I'll discuss that later. So moving on, the only mention of a pickle, as in the title, was on the very last page. The last page describes a pickle according to all of the senses, which by the way, seems more like an add-on, as if the author forgot she entitled the book "I Hear a Pickle," and had to tie it in somewhere. So my criticisms are: one- there is no storyline and therefore, this book is not suitable for all ages and will bore older children, and two and three- the title had been forgotten. For the second criticism, none of the examples relate to each other and are completely random. That's an author's choice, I know, but if the title promised the author would stick to one object, than this should have been carried out throughout the book. For the third criticism, the pickle, as a title, was supposed to be the main object/character/conflict/something! Otherwise, it looks like the author forgot and had to add that in, or as though the author started writing the book without a direction and decided to just end it somewhere quick. So again, young children, two to four years of age, will not notice the critiques I have discussed here, and may very well enjoy the book, but for those reasons I discussed, I do not recommend teachers read this in your elementary classrooms.
October 31, 2021
Can you see it, touch it, smell it, hear it, or taste it? This book covers items that uses your five senses. This is a great book that helps children discover which sense they use for what. Is it called “touch” when they feel something? Is it called “taste” when they eat something? Which sense would they use to discover a new fruit? A leaf? A book?
This book is set up into sections, each sense has a section. Hearing is first, then smell, see, touch and then, taste. There are at least one to four examples on each page. Each example has an illustration. Some of the examples are: “I taste the milk.” “I don’t touch the painting. It’s wet!” “I smell the grass! It’s so fresh!” “I don’t like to smell cow poop.” There are some things that you can hear like traffic and a vacuum. But you can’t hear snow falling. You can see stars and snow but when a lamp is off, you can’t see. You don’t touch stoves or electric plugs but you can touch worms and eggs (even if you drop them). What can you eat? You can taste apples, ice cream, and chili but you “don’t want to taste the spinach.”
It’s a fun book with lots of examples and information. The illustrations are simple and colorful and the text consists of simple sentences.
This book is set up into sections, each sense has a section. Hearing is first, then smell, see, touch and then, taste. There are at least one to four examples on each page. Each example has an illustration. Some of the examples are: “I taste the milk.” “I don’t touch the painting. It’s wet!” “I smell the grass! It’s so fresh!” “I don’t like to smell cow poop.” There are some things that you can hear like traffic and a vacuum. But you can’t hear snow falling. You can see stars and snow but when a lamp is off, you can’t see. You don’t touch stoves or electric plugs but you can touch worms and eggs (even if you drop them). What can you eat? You can taste apples, ice cream, and chili but you “don’t want to taste the spinach.”
It’s a fun book with lots of examples and information. The illustrations are simple and colorful and the text consists of simple sentences.
May 17, 2018
I Hear a Pickle (and Smell, See, Touch, and Taste It, Too!) is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora. It is an educational book to teach children about the five basic senses – Hear, Smell, See, Touch, and Taste.
The text is rather straightforward and are just really examples demonstrating each sense. The book is divided into five sections – each section handling one of the five human senses. The illustrations are just wonderful and demonstrate the examples rather well. I really like that all the children drawn are diverse and not just all Caucasian.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Isadora gives approximately twenty examples of what each sense can and cannot do and the pleasant and unpleasant. It is a rather well rounded educational book with wonderful pictures. On the very last page, combines all five sense together, and reiterates the title – one can hear, smell, see, touch, and taste a pickle.
All in all, I Hear a Pickle (and Smell, See, Touch, and Taste It, Too!) is a wonderful educational children's book about the five human senses and giving many examples of each.
The text is rather straightforward and are just really examples demonstrating each sense. The book is divided into five sections – each section handling one of the five human senses. The illustrations are just wonderful and demonstrate the examples rather well. I really like that all the children drawn are diverse and not just all Caucasian.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Isadora gives approximately twenty examples of what each sense can and cannot do and the pleasant and unpleasant. It is a rather well rounded educational book with wonderful pictures. On the very last page, combines all five sense together, and reiterates the title – one can hear, smell, see, touch, and taste a pickle.
All in all, I Hear a Pickle (and Smell, See, Touch, and Taste It, Too!) is a wonderful educational children's book about the five human senses and giving many examples of each.
May 4, 2019
I liked the title and didn't know what to expect -- but I really liked this little book about the five senses. Each sense has its own little chapter. At the top right corner of each page spread are all the senses with the current one in bold letters.
All the illustrations are of toddlers (who are the best audience for this title). There are logical choices as well as negative choices to show the difference. For example under HEAR: I hear the birdie -- Tweet tweet! -- I don't hear the worm (no sound).
There are also simple rules built in. For example under TOUCH: I can touch friendly dog, my birdie, sand and rain -- but don't touch fish, cactus, the plug, or the stove.
Lots of sounds included in the story which helps with little reader participation. Just a few illustrations on each page make a good story with out over-tiring the reader or over-stimulating.
Favorite page is the last that shows how a pickle stimulates all five senses.
The story could also spur creativity and have young readers come up with new examples and draw the picture to go with it.
All the illustrations are of toddlers (who are the best audience for this title). There are logical choices as well as negative choices to show the difference. For example under HEAR: I hear the birdie -- Tweet tweet! -- I don't hear the worm (no sound).
There are also simple rules built in. For example under TOUCH: I can touch friendly dog, my birdie, sand and rain -- but don't touch fish, cactus, the plug, or the stove.
Lots of sounds included in the story which helps with little reader participation. Just a few illustrations on each page make a good story with out over-tiring the reader or over-stimulating.
Favorite page is the last that shows how a pickle stimulates all five senses.
The story could also spur creativity and have young readers come up with new examples and draw the picture to go with it.
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September 12, 2019"I Hear a Pickle" by Rachel Isadora is a very cute and silly book that explores the five senses humans have and how they work. Through pictures the book is broken into five parts that give various examples of each sense. In the "Hear" section one child can hear the rain and another can hear a cheering crowd. Another example is in the "taste" section where a little girl is tasting some milk and another boy is tasting the sweet sweet flavor of watermelon.
This book is fantastic. Not only does it teach so well about the five senses, but it does it through fun illustrations. There are about 3-6 small illustrations on each page that show exactly what the child is smelling, tasting, hearing, seeing, and touching.
Every kid needs to be taught about their senses and understand them. This book gives kids many examples and pictures to help them better understand, so I think it would be a good one to use in the classroom. This book will inspire kids to be more aware of their senses and really appreciate them.
This book is fantastic. Not only does it teach so well about the five senses, but it does it through fun illustrations. There are about 3-6 small illustrations on each page that show exactly what the child is smelling, tasting, hearing, seeing, and touching.
Every kid needs to be taught about their senses and understand them. This book gives kids many examples and pictures to help them better understand, so I think it would be a good one to use in the classroom. This book will inspire kids to be more aware of their senses and really appreciate them.
November 20, 2017
I would recommend this book for the primary grades, second through third grade. I would categorize this book as contemporary realistic fiction.
I’m not going to lie, when I first picked up the book I was really confused with the title. My first thought was, “how do you hear a pickle?” But once I opened the book, I was pleasantly surprised! I just taught a lesson on the five senses, and wished that I had read this book before I taught it! It’s a little silly, but does a phenomenal job at teaching and giving a plethora of examples on each sense. The book is filled with children using all of their senses. The best part is that they are not all white with blonde hair and blue eyes. The illustrations are diverse and would be a great text for a miniature lesson, or to keep on the classroom shelf.
I’m not going to lie, when I first picked up the book I was really confused with the title. My first thought was, “how do you hear a pickle?” But once I opened the book, I was pleasantly surprised! I just taught a lesson on the five senses, and wished that I had read this book before I taught it! It’s a little silly, but does a phenomenal job at teaching and giving a plethora of examples on each sense. The book is filled with children using all of their senses. The best part is that they are not all white with blonde hair and blue eyes. The illustrations are diverse and would be a great text for a miniature lesson, or to keep on the classroom shelf.
October 5, 2023
I hear a pickle: and smell, see, touch, & taste it, too!
Science, Humor, Pre K- Kindergarten, Non-fiction
This book touches on the five senses. As you read this book it talks about each of the senses and examples for each one. A variety of different little kids share their experiences with the five senses.
I would use this book in a reading lesson by having certain materials for the kids to use and as the book explains the five senses. For example, for HEAR I would have the kids shake beads in a cup, and for TOUCH I would have stuffed animals for the kids to feel, and so on.
ELA.K.1.B
restate and follow oral directions that involve a short, related sequence of actions
ELA.K.3.C
identify and use words that name actions; directions; positions; sequences; categories such as colors, shapes, and textures; and locations.
Science, Humor, Pre K- Kindergarten, Non-fiction
This book touches on the five senses. As you read this book it talks about each of the senses and examples for each one. A variety of different little kids share their experiences with the five senses.
I would use this book in a reading lesson by having certain materials for the kids to use and as the book explains the five senses. For example, for HEAR I would have the kids shake beads in a cup, and for TOUCH I would have stuffed animals for the kids to feel, and so on.
ELA.K.1.B
restate and follow oral directions that involve a short, related sequence of actions
ELA.K.3.C
identify and use words that name actions; directions; positions; sequences; categories such as colors, shapes, and textures; and locations.
January 2, 2023
I had to read this book about 5 times today (it's really hard to say no to a toddler who insists on "pickle book!"). By the third or fourth time, I tried to skip a sentence or two before seeing if I could get away with skipping a full page (it's easier said than done!)... and I ended up very surprised to realize how much he had been paying attention. I ended up unable to skip anything, but I paused to let him finish several sentences throughout the book. Overall, it's not my personal favorite because it's very repetitive, but I'm impressed by how much my son enjoys it, especially considering its length.
On a different note, I really like how this book is written in both English and Spanish. I can imagine this being very helpful for families who speak Spanish at home.
On a different note, I really like how this book is written in both English and Spanish. I can imagine this being very helpful for families who speak Spanish at home.
September 22, 2023
Keywords: Smell, See, Touch, hear, and Taste
I hear a pickle (and smell, see, touch, and taste it, too!) is an amazing book to teach children about the five senses. The children go on by describing things that they can smell, taste, see, etc. Just by using common items around them, they explain all senses.
This children's book is written as a picture book that is informative. This book would be amazing to teach young children in a classroom about the five senses. It also allows the children to let their mind explore as they read and to imagine the smells etc.
I hear a pickle (and smell, see, touch, and taste it, too!) is an amazing book to teach children about the five senses. The children go on by describing things that they can smell, taste, see, etc. Just by using common items around them, they explain all senses.
This children's book is written as a picture book that is informative. This book would be amazing to teach young children in a classroom about the five senses. It also allows the children to let their mind explore as they read and to imagine the smells etc.
May 16, 2019
"I Hear a Pickle: and Smell, See, Touch, & Taste it, Too!" - written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora and published in 2016 by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. This book was a great way to introduce the five senses to little ones, with cute drawings of familiar kiddos and objects. The two three-year-olds I read it with have never eaten a whole pickle, but they identified with most of the other examples. A good book to add to your home library.
June 9, 2019
This book is a great book about the senses. It describes many examples of times each sense will work and times each sense may not work. This book uses a lot of vignettes that make it feel like an informative book rather than a story. I think this book would be a great book to read when teaching younger students about senses. It does not have much substance to its writing which is why I wouldn't want to use this book to create a lesson plan from.
January 12, 2023
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It did a great job exploring the 5 senses…however, there was too much mention of poop, and stinky smells like shoes/cheese in my opinion. And there was no talk about a pickle until the very last page I think. It got a great dialogue out of my students and then they had to write about what they can do with their senses. It was an ok book. A little scattered and all over the place but we enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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