Ricky Rocky and Ringo on TV (It's Great to Read and Learn)

Ricky, Rocky, and Ringo make a television appearance to sing a pirate song, but Ricky experiences stage fright and can't remember the words.

Kindergarten-Grade 2 While attempting to offer a behind-the-scenes look at a television production, this book is neither informative nor entertaining. Ricky, Rocky, and Ringo (respectively a rhino, a raccoon, and a bird) are filmed while singing a pirate song. Ricky's stage fright provides the only tension in the story, and it is predictably resolved through the use of cue cards. While children may identify with Ricky's stage fright, few would express it by stating, ``And I don't mind saying we're just a little bit nervous.'' If the plot suffers from too little action, the illustrations suffer from too much of it. Although the cartoon pictures provide some accurate representations of backstage TV production, they are too cluttered with characters and colors to be effective. While children may be initially drawn to the cartoon characters, the slight story will do little to hold their interest. Jacobson's Television (Childrens, 1982) provides a more in-depth look at the medium. Leave Ricky, Rocky, and Ringo for the grocery store shelves.Lori Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Deer Park, Tex.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.