Did You Say Pears?

by Arlene Alda

“If horns played cool music, and pants were just clothes....”

Horn, pants, nails, trunk, pitcher — all words that can mean more than one thing. Arlene Alda has put together words and images in a delightful and witty book of photographs as inviting as a pair of juicy pears. Did You Say Pears? takes a playful and very clever look at words that sound the same but have different meanings. Young readers will love to hone their budding sense of language with the deceptively simple text and the irresistible photographs that offer a first taste of the richness of words. A useful information page explaining the wordplay is included.

Arlene Alda’s photographs challenge the reader to look and look again in this book that is bound to be a family favorite.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 2006

About the author

Arlene Alda graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Hunter College, received a Fulbright Scholarship, and realized her dream of becoming a professional clarinetist, playing in the Houston Symphony under the baton of Leopold Stokowski. She switched careers when her children were young and became an award-winning photographer and author who has written nineteen books, including Just Kids from the Bronx. She is the mother of three daughters and the grandmother of eight. She and her husband, actor Alan Alda, live in New York City and Long Island.

Reviews

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting this lovely, sweet woman at a signing for this book when it was first released. Did You Say Pears? is enchanting and absolutely top notch.

[Danni Langdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be great to use with DHH students to show how words can have different spelling or even the same spelling but completely different meanings. This is good for all students but specifically students who are learning language later in the school year when they do not have a large vocabulary.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet book of word play with homophones and homonyms with photo illustrations and a guide at the end. My daughter picked it up after we finished to read it again to herself.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun with homonyms: sound alike; same spelling; different meanings

and homophones: sound alike, different spellings; different meanings

How do any of us ever learn english?

[Sana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique book to teach the kids some example of HOMONYMS & HOMOPHONES.
I wish it was longer…

[Abby Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This imaginative picture book uses text that rhymes and bright pictures to look at words like "pear" and "pair" that sound the same but mean different things. This is a fun and interesting way to teach young kids about homophones and wordplay. It's both educational and fun.

[Jen H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book with photographs all about Homonyms.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

photos are wonderful, text is so-so---they give one word but not the 2nd. would be better if sun was matched with the word son in the spread, for example

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice simple introduction to homophones, good for use with preschoolers an up.

[Dana]

homophones/homographs

[Harue Fiedler · Rating 5 out of 5]

初級から上級まで全ての、英語学習者にお勧めです。アメリカでは三〜四歳で読み聞かせしているようです。

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for homophones !

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for homonyms lessons!

[Suki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little book on homophones and homonyms.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little old for young P.

[Brian Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever little book about homonyms