Gigi in the Big City by Charise Mericle Harper

Harper, Charise Mericle Gigi in the Big City. Robin Corey Books, 2010. $12.99.  PICTURE BOOK.  This lift-the-flap book tells about Gigi who goes in to the city and explores.  She sees buildings, goes into stores and shops, visits museums, talks to people, and gets a makeover.  In each of these activities, Gigi learns interesting information about all sorts of things--from types of books to different birth stones to phases in art history to types of professions.Her day is jam-packed and that makes it so the reader can learn a lot too.  Harper's book is full of flaps to lift and wheels to turns and levers to lift.  That way, the reader has variety from page to page.  The illustrations are excellent, and what is so good about this book is the huge audience that will enjoy it.  The youngest of readers will like looking at the pictures, lifting the flaps, and turning the wheels.  But the oldest readers will actually be able to spend a long time on each page and read and learn a lot.  It is a book that many girls will enjoy and parents and teachers can know that it is educational too.  Pre-K, EL (K-3), EL, MS – ESSENTIAL. Brent Smith, Reading Teacher.