Book Reviews

From Readers Favorite:

"Shelley's Outdoor Adventure" is an educational picture book for children. Shelley and her friends are outdoors and they are busy exploring the beauties offered by nature. Shelley is explaining it to her friends using sign language. This book incorporates the American Sign Language. It is also an eye opener for normal children to see the world of the children with special needs. The illustrations are very captivating. Shelley and her friends wear a red band. This red band symbolizes Blossom Montessori school for the deaf and the motto they follow:'Giving children a chance, parents a choice'. Many a time, children with special needs are shunned by the society and made fun by friends in school. I thought this book reiterates the fact that they can communicate with other people and they have a place in the society like any other child. Their small world is exposed to a normal child. They are also told that there is another language with which these children can be communicated with.

I personally feel this book resonates with children of all age groups and adults too can benefit from reading this. Many a time adults and bigger children are also ignorant when it comes to such things that are prevalent in our society. This book illustrates all the commonly used signs. So it is easy to use it as a beginning to understand our children with special needs. Though educational, the author has deftly made it a fun read with all the illustrations. Every scene is conveyed with pictures.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Readers Favorite: 

"Shelly Goes to the Zoo" is based on a series of children’s books that teach parents and their children American Sign Language. In this installment, Shelly takes her friends, Maria and Kasey, to the zoo with her dad. Shelly is very informed about each animal they come across and explains the background information on each animal that they see in addition to showing the readers the sign language that is associated with the animals. There is a picture and a short description attached to each sign language where it makes it easy for the readers, parents, and children alike, to follow along. Shelly and her friends go through many animals in the zoo. There is even a sign language alphabet chart at the back of the book.

Author Kentrall Martin combines education and fun in her innovative new series of books on Shelly expertly. Parents and children can learn sign language while they read, making this a very interactive means to learn about sign language. Parents and children can use what they learn in this book to develop further games later on with the sign language they learn. Illustrator Marco Luperon accompanies the story with cute, instructional pictures throughout the book that enhance charm of the storyline. This book is such a great learning tool for all children that I highly recommend buying these books. I love the unique concept that the author incorporates into all her books. It is education and learning at its very BEST! I can’t wait to read these books to my nephews and nieces so that we can learn sign language together and develop a game out of it together which we can enjoy for hours. We can take the sign language everywhere we go!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Literary Classics Book Reviews for "Shelly's Outdoor Adventure":

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Literary Classics Book Reviews for "Shelly Goes to the Zoo":

Shelly Goes to the Zoo, by Kentrell Martin, is a children's picture book which serves to bridge the gap between the hearing and non-hearing. When Shelly's father takes her and some friends to the zoo, the group encounters all sorts of fascinating creatures. Shelly, who is very knowledgeable about animals, shares some interesting facts and then she shows them how to say each one's name in sign language.

Colorful and expressive illustrations, by Marc Rodriguez, help to demonstrate the sign language movements in a way that flows nicely within the context of the book. This book is a fun and educational introduction to sign language that will appeal to children on many levels. The side story is just as interesting as kids learn facts about their favorite zoo animals.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For "Shelly's Outdoor Adventure": 

The book takes the reader on a journey with them to learn and explore different adventures all the while learning a new language. The engaging writing and detailed illustrations add to a wonderful experience in the process of learning American Sign Language. I'm an ASL teacher as well as a Child of Deaf Adults and plan on buying this book for everyone I know!

--Sarah Wheeler (Nationally Certified Interpreter) Author of the book "The Interpreter's Journal"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For "Shelly Goes to the Zoo":

I really enjoyed reading these books with my kids and learning Sign Language right along with them! My kids enjoyed them and were engaged with learning sign language the whole time.

--Sarah Wheeler (Nationally Certified Interpreter) Author of the book "The Interpreter's Journal"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You dazzled us! Mr. Martin and "Shelly" presented an engaging, entertaining, and personal story to our students at Callahan Elementary School, about treating everyone with respect and kindness. It helped our school community relate to people who have physical challenges. The added bonus was the sign language lesson for our students. What a fun afternoon of story-telling."

--Susan Howard, Principal at Callahan Elementary School