Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Encyclopedia
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a bestselling children's book written by Bill Martin, Jr.
and John Archambault
, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
, and published by Simon & Schuster
in 1989. This book is about anthropomorphized letters, who climb up a coconut tree in alphabetical order, until the tree collapses. Capital letters (the older relatives of the letters climbing the tree) come to help them. Again alphabetically, it describes each letter's injury, such as "skinned-knee D". The book is notable for its rhyming structure which is reminiscent of the jazz vocal improvisation technique known as scat singing
.
An audio book version is also available.
It inspired a 2004 sequel, Chicka, Chicka, 1, 2, 3
. A board book for toddlers, entitled Chicka, Chicka ABC was published in 1990 and contains the first half of the full story.
Awards, Honors, Prizes
Bill Martin, Jr.
William Ivan Martin, was an educator, publishing executive, and author of more than 300 children's books including Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?, and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What...
and John Archambault
John Archambault
John Archambault is a children's book author, poet, story teller, and musician. hE IS known best for his best selling children's book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Among his most recognizable childrens books are Knots on a Counting Rope, Barn Dance, Here Are My Hands, and The Birth of a Whale....
, illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Lois Ehlert
Lois Ehlert is an author and illustrator of children's books, most having to do with nature. Ehlert won the Caldecott Honor for Color Zoo . She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.-Background:...
, and published by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
in 1989. This book is about anthropomorphized letters, who climb up a coconut tree in alphabetical order, until the tree collapses. Capital letters (the older relatives of the letters climbing the tree) come to help them. Again alphabetically, it describes each letter's injury, such as "skinned-knee D". The book is notable for its rhyming structure which is reminiscent of the jazz vocal improvisation technique known as scat singing
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
.
An audio book version is also available.
It inspired a 2004 sequel, Chicka, Chicka, 1, 2, 3
Chicka, Chicka, 1, 2, 3
Chicka, Chicka, 1, 2, 3 is a New York Times best-selling children's book written by Bill Martin, Jr. and Michael Sampson.-Plot:0 wants to go in the Apple Tree but lots of numbers come before her. After all the numbers except 0 are up the Apple Tree, bumble bees come and say that its their tree. The...
. A board book for toddlers, entitled Chicka, Chicka ABC was published in 1990 and contains the first half of the full story.
Recognition
Best Books- Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Children's Choices, 1990; International Reading Association; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner 1991 Grades K-3 Kentucky
- Parents' Choice AwardParents' Choice AwardThe Parents' Choice Award is an award presented by the non-profit Parents' Choice Foundation to recognize "the very best products for children of different ages and backgrounds, and of varied skill and interest levels." It is considered a "prestigious" award among children's products, and has been...
(Gold 2003, Best 25 Books in 25 Years United States)
See also
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Other Coconutty SongsChicka Chicka Boom Boom and Other Coconutty SongsChicka Chicka Boom Boom and Other Coconutty Songs is a 1992 music album, based on the children's book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr...