Un Deux Trois - Unique and Exceptional

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	• Un, Deux, Trois: First French Rhymes (Book & CD) Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2006 - 24 pages average customer review:based on 14 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

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.

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Very Pleased

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

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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.

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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.

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!

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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.

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