Un, Deux, Trois: First French Rhymes (Book & CD) Review

Manufacturer: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

ISBN: 1845076230 EAN: 9781845076238
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 24
Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Retail Price: ~~$9.95~~
Online Sale Price: $9.95
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Simple songs and rhymes are an excellent way to familiarize young children with another language. Un, Deux, Trois, a collection of 25 traditional nursery rhymes, is a delightful way to introduce French. An illustrated vocabulary features simple words and phrases that are easy to learn and that can be used in games or everyday life. Children are encouraged to repeat the phrases and sing along with the rhymes, and the included CD lets them know how both should sound. The lively illustrations and amusing rhymes make learning a new language fun. A guide for parents translates more difficult phrases.

User Submitted Un, Deux, Trois: First French Rhymes (Book & CD) Reviews

August 19, 2008
French Sung for Kids
My grand-daughter really likes to listen to the CD and has begun to sing along. I think that's great. Book illustrations are fun, too.

July 18, 2008
Cute music
My daughter is still an infant so we haven't used the book yet. The c.d. is great. Fun to listen to while playing.

July 5, 2008
Good, but don't expect too much
This book is primarily about rhyming, not necessarily about French language. I am surprised to see people discussing it as a way of learning to "speak" French -- as in, saying something useful or meaningful. The book's cover makes that claim, too. Shoppers should be wary of expecting too much from this book as an instructional tool.

This is an attractive, fun package. If you go through it you might pick up a smattering of French words, a few numbers and so on. But it is not organized with any kind of instructional strategy, and the contents are rather inconsistent.

What it mostly does is to lead you through a lot rhymes with cute or interesting sounds. Sure, some pages contain poems in genuine French. But many of the rhymes include nonsense words (as the authors admit) which do not mean anything in any language (like "Bourre et bourre et ratatam").

The book claims that many of these rhymes are used by French kids for picking sides in playground games, or the like. If so, that means that a lot of these pieces are the equivalent of "one potato, two potato" or "Eeny meeny miney moe" on an American playground. I can't imagine teaching the phrase "eeny meeny miney moe" to a French child as a first introduction to English.

One of the rhymes, according to the guide in the back of the book, supposedly teaches the pronunciation of the "U" sound in French. The only "teaching" involved is the child listening to the CD. If you want the child to be able to speak those words, you may have to teach them how to form the French U sound. The book doesn't do it.

Another poem playfully replaces "sept oies" with "c'est toi." Due to the use of liasons in spoken French, those phrases are homonyms. The whole rhyme builds up to that double-entendre, which is based on a uniquely French bit of phonics. So if the book were really trying to teach French, this would be a perfect opportunity to do so. But it doesn't even mention it, so non-French speakers will miss out on the pun entirely.

In another case, the authors claim that a rhyme supposedly demonstrates different ways of using the "R" sound in French. It does nothing of the kind. Over and over, I felt like the authors were attempting to claim more educational value for the material than it really has, while failing to use teaching opportunities that *were* available.

What value the material DOES have is that it is mostly fun, catchy little rhymes that kids will relate to, especially with the help of the cute illustrations in the book. I believe that the CD by itself would not be very successful at all, unlike some other products. And for parents who do not speak French, or have a French dictionary nearby, good luck. Some -- but not all -- of the material is translated into English in the back.

The accents sound authentic, and the recordings introduce each rhyme with a slow rendition first, then move up to "normal" speed, and repeat it yet another time. I think this is a good approach. The recordings mix an adult voice and some kids -- some other reviews mistakenly say it's all kids.

The child I'm using this with had already learned a few fundamentals in reading and speaking French, and that background definitely helped. So, as other reviewers have suggested, this book may ironically actually be more useful as something other than a "first" book, contrary to the suggestion of its title.

So: Fun, yes, but your child will still need to learn a lot more "real" French somewhere else.

June 20, 2008
Very Pleased
I received my item within less than a week from ordering, and in perfect condition. I appreciate this excellent customerservice.

June 9, 2008
Quality Production
This is a quality production and I am enjoying learning the rhymes and teaching them to my 6 month old daughter. This is definitely a product for someone who already has a good understanding of French. It comes with a book with the French and there are translations and explanations (when appropriate) in the back. I did not give it 5 stars because I think it is a little difficult to use. The tracks are divided up into broad categories (By the River, In the Market) and there are several rhymes in each one which makes finding a particular rhyme more troublesome. It is difficult to listen to straight from beginning to end because the background music is repetitive. Also, there are many rhymes for older children, not just for babies so I am sorting through to find the ones that are appropriate for an infant. Overall, however, I am enjoying this product and would recommend it to a motivated francophile.

March 21, 2008
Un Deux Trois - Unique and Exceptional
As a preschool French teacher at a Montessori school, I am always looking for good products to recommend to parents for at-home enrichment. What makes this book/CD set so special is the exceptional quality and beauty of the speaking and the fact that it is unique.

There are many CDs with French songs, but few for young children on the American market, where French is spoken. The poems, rhymes, counting-out rhymes, beautiful pictures and special "settings" are extremely appealing to young children and have a classic quality. This book is excellent for guided learning --- exploring French with your child or a small group of children. Act out the rhymes or otherwise bring them to life with puppets, drawing, counting, pictures, fingerplays, or any type of game. Then pull words out to say and learn.

These are not just spoken rhymes, they lend themselves to interactive play very well! Don't just put it in the car stereo and expect your child to be entranced until they understand what some of it means. After they do, young children's imaginations are captured by the silliness of the nursery rhymes. Nursery rhymes, with their rhythm and exaggeration & repetition of sounds, are fantastic teachers of the native sounds of a language! This is the most important thing a young learner can pick up!

There are notes for each rhyme in the back of the book, but thankfully no blah blah blah in English on the recording itself. The clear enunciation and lyrical quality of the main speaker gives her the type of voice that makes people say, "French is a beautiful language." Her speaking is just entrancing. There is also enough music and little sound effects to enhance the presentation. This product is very reasonably priced for such a gem of language and culture!

February 11, 2008
From a teacher, this is pretty neat!
For the price, what a lovely book! Hardback, full color, and a CD too! Wow! My four children enjoy the CD in the car, and they like to look at the pictures as well, as I read the rhymes. The two eldest (4 and 6 year old boys) are able to "read" along with me since they've heard the CD so much.

We're working through Flip Flop French: Ages 3-5: Level 1 as well, and so it's neat that when we got to the lesson on clothes, they already could pronounce the words, and were VERY excited about knowing part of their lesson before doing the activities! I highly recommend this book!

November 17, 2007
Excellente
Native speakers and native rhymes & songs that are catchy yet educational. Our 6-month-old loves the CD, it's his favorite thing in the car.

June 3, 2007
Fun way to introduce French with sound & words
My one year old and I love listening to the CD that came with this book. Songs are sung by kids & adults. Each song has the words written out in the book too.

May 30, 2007
Fun French Rhymes
My 5 year old granddaughter and I had a delightful time repeating and reading along with this child's French Rhyme book and CD. By the end of it she could repeat 3 French words perfectly with a big grin on her face! She took the book out the following night for repeat reading and for dancing to the musique! :)

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