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Book Review: Drummer Hoff

Drummer Hoff is as much of a favorite with my sons as it was with my brothers when we were children, which gives it a special place in my heart! It's a simple little book, with classic Ed Emberley illustrations, that shows the progression of loading a cannon to be fired, but there's something magical about shouting "kah-bah-bloom!" and watching the whole illustration turn red on the last page.

Each page builds upon the actions of the previous page, so that by the end, you have this:

General Border gave the order,
Major Scott brought the shot,
Captain Bammer brought the rammer,
Sergeant Chowder brought the powder,
Corporal Farrel brought the barrel,
Private Parriage brought the carriage,
but Drummer Hoff fired it off.

(Yep, I did that from memory.)


Silas pointing to Major Scott's shot, back in March.

I mentioned about a month ago that Owen had no concept of rhyming words, so last time we read Drummer Hoff (maybe two weeks ago), I made a huge deal out of the rhymes. Border order border order border order! Hoff off hoff off hoff off! By and large, it clicked for him! I guess he just needed a heavy dose of examples. I'm still pointing out rhymes wherever we find them, to reinforce, but he's much more likely to find them himself now. I just love it when our favorite books become the best teaching tools!

Around the same time, I read a blog post, from the author of the ABC Jesus Loves Me curriculum I'm always talking about, on teaching rhyming. It includes some more suggestions of good rhyming books (as if you don't already have plenty on your bookshelf!), as well as the simplest little poem that, for some reason, makes it all so clear: -----, -----, they both say -----. Scott, shot, they both say ot. 

One more confession about rhyming in our house: at Silas's request, we sing the name game song on a very regular basis. He'll flash me a grin and ask, "Do Silas-bo-bilas?" Lots of fun here. :)
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  1. AnonymousAugust 21, 2014 at 1:39 PM

    As I've read Drummer Hoff to your boys I noticed something I never noticed when reading it to mine. After kah-bah-bloom the cannon is covered in flowers indicating it is not being used. To me it is a symbol of a hope for peace. The flowers could be why it is kah-bah-BLOOM and not BOOM.

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  2. ChristyAugust 21, 2014 at 1:44 PM

    I never thought about it being "bloom" not "boom!" How interesting. Silas loves to look at the last page and point out all the different bugs, the bird feeding her baby birds in the nest, the spider web. Peaceful indeed.

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