You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together    by Mary Ann Hoberman & Michael Emberley Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2001 (2001) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Mary Ann Hoberman wrote this picture book to promote literacy, by reading aloud together. Her very short stories (in verse) are each 'like a little play for two voices', and all end in the refrain 'You read to me! / I'll read to you!' Note that this is an ALA Notable book. Michael Emberley's illustrations add quirky humor to each tale. There are two cats reading with a captive audience of mice, followed by two tough looking dogs rescuing the mice from a cat, 'Now pussycat, / That isn't nice. / You shouldn't scare / The little mice.' I love the raccoon. She moans 'I hate my hat!' to a friend, whose response is 'I like your hat. / It's "hate" I hate.' And there's a bunny hopping with a skipping child up and down hill all the way to the library. Kids build a snowman together, then read inside in the warmth. 'I Like' is a delightful take on likes and dislikes, with reading as a like that children have in common. 'My Snake' is a pet who likes to hang around its owner's neck and check out books. There's a readalong by telephone, a poem on the futility of bathing a puppy, and an imaginary (or is he?) bear. Finally 'The End' reminds us 'there are other books to read. / Hundreds / Thousands / All we need.' There are indeed, but don't miss this one! Share it with a beginning reader - taking turns reading is a wonderful way to get started, and You Read to Me, I'll Read to You makes it great fun. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews