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Pouch!
The delightful tale of a curious baby kangaroo, from the creator of Leaves When you're new to the world, every hop brings another surprise! Joey wants to go exploring, but everything he discovers is almost too exciting. Bees, rabbits, birds . . . other creatures can be scary! But Mama is never far away, and who knows? Joey might even make a friend.
David Ezra Stein's gentle story will amuse and comfort readers.
David Ezra Stein's gentle story will amuse and comfort readers.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2009
14 people are currently reading
551 people want to read
About the author
David Ezra Stein
32 books142 followersDavid Ezra Stein is an author-illustrator whose previous books include LEAVES, winner of an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. He lives in Kew Gardens, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
December 22, 2009
Today I had to tackle a preschool storytime. I am not a particularly brave librarian, though. If I find a picture book that works, I have to really work at not using it over and over again in front of a crowd of two to four-year-olds every time I do a storytime. Kids are unafraid to inform you when you are boring the socks off of them. after all. So today I was brave and I used not one, not two, but THREE brand new picture books. It was scary, but it worked. And Pouch! by David Ezra Stein, was one of the three. Admittedly, I brought it out because I knew I wanted to review it, but it wasn't field tested (as it were) yet. Now I am happy to report that when read with the right amount of verve and near panic, this is a delightful storytime option that kids and adults alike will both love. Clearly the kangaroo word for "retreat" is "POUCH!"
Joey's a sweet little baby kangaroo who one day gets a wild notion. "Mama," he says, "I want to hop!" Mama's willing, but little Joey is a bit of a panicky sort. On his first outing he runs across a bee. His reaction? "POUCH!" and in he hops. On his second hop about the woods he meets a rabbit. You can guess his reaction. Trip #3 and it's a bird that freaks him out. But on Trip #4 he meets another baby kangaroo. And after both of them give a cry of "POUCH!" they realize how silly they've been. So much so that when their mamas offer a pouch to them at the end, they confidently slap their arms around one another and say with pseudo-nonchalance, "No, thanks."
Stein has style. They say that when you write fiction you should have a distinctive voice. Well, Stein's distinctive voice is in his brush. You can see it in his previous titles like Monster Hug or Leaves and you can see it here. In this book he employs watercolors, china marker, and water-soluble crayons. This sort of makes it the kind of art where it looks childlike, but with obvious skill creating the linework. The colors gel together nicely too. From the warm brown/oranges of joey's fur and interior pouchworld to the green/blue sky and that shock of white that outlines the characters at key moments, everything here feels right. And pay attention to when Stein opts to do two-page spreads full of color (as when the two joeys meet for the first time) and when he uses a lot of white space (when they both scream "POUCH!" at the same time). The artist also hides characters in his seemingly simple illustrations. In one shot Joey takes five hopes to the pasture fence. Behind him, the bird and rabbit are hidden, but still in view. Pretty slick.
I also love that the dialogue often, though not always, looks like it's been cut out of the background. The thick white letters have this magnificent hand drawn character to them (you can see it in the title on the cover). It just feels right. Like a kind of kangaroo-speak, maybe. Finally, check out those endpapers. You might miss them the first time around, but look close. Light orange silhouettes play against a yellow background. Those silhouettes turn out to be the animals that frightened little Joey before he met another of his kind.
Joey is consistently afraid of other animals, but it's not as if they're practically threatening. Even the most benign rabbit or jovial bird is cause for panic. Joey's continual advance and retreat will be familiar to anyone who has watched a baby puppy or kitten approach another animal. Stein just gets that trepidation down pat. I love watching the little Joey's body language. You can tell that he's ready to back away at a moment's notice at all times. When he meets the bird his left foot is already raised, ready. Curiosity will win out in the end, but for a while anything that speaks is considered potentially dangerous. Until, of course, it becomes surprisingly familiar.
Ultimately this is a story about coming out of your pouch. For little kids, it's pretty comforting. Mama is almost always nearby, open pouch waiting. The animals deemed scary couldn't be less so unless you slapped ridiculous eyelashes on them (not a suggestion). Stein is just one of those picture book author/illustrators that understands his readers. What he does is hard to do. Pouch! is just the latest example of this. It's a prepossessing little gem. Not big and showy. Just the kind of thing that works beautifully in front of big groups or as a cozy one-on-one bedtime book.
Ages 3-7.
Joey's a sweet little baby kangaroo who one day gets a wild notion. "Mama," he says, "I want to hop!" Mama's willing, but little Joey is a bit of a panicky sort. On his first outing he runs across a bee. His reaction? "POUCH!" and in he hops. On his second hop about the woods he meets a rabbit. You can guess his reaction. Trip #3 and it's a bird that freaks him out. But on Trip #4 he meets another baby kangaroo. And after both of them give a cry of "POUCH!" they realize how silly they've been. So much so that when their mamas offer a pouch to them at the end, they confidently slap their arms around one another and say with pseudo-nonchalance, "No, thanks."
Stein has style. They say that when you write fiction you should have a distinctive voice. Well, Stein's distinctive voice is in his brush. You can see it in his previous titles like Monster Hug or Leaves and you can see it here. In this book he employs watercolors, china marker, and water-soluble crayons. This sort of makes it the kind of art where it looks childlike, but with obvious skill creating the linework. The colors gel together nicely too. From the warm brown/oranges of joey's fur and interior pouchworld to the green/blue sky and that shock of white that outlines the characters at key moments, everything here feels right. And pay attention to when Stein opts to do two-page spreads full of color (as when the two joeys meet for the first time) and when he uses a lot of white space (when they both scream "POUCH!" at the same time). The artist also hides characters in his seemingly simple illustrations. In one shot Joey takes five hopes to the pasture fence. Behind him, the bird and rabbit are hidden, but still in view. Pretty slick.
I also love that the dialogue often, though not always, looks like it's been cut out of the background. The thick white letters have this magnificent hand drawn character to them (you can see it in the title on the cover). It just feels right. Like a kind of kangaroo-speak, maybe. Finally, check out those endpapers. You might miss them the first time around, but look close. Light orange silhouettes play against a yellow background. Those silhouettes turn out to be the animals that frightened little Joey before he met another of his kind.
Joey is consistently afraid of other animals, but it's not as if they're practically threatening. Even the most benign rabbit or jovial bird is cause for panic. Joey's continual advance and retreat will be familiar to anyone who has watched a baby puppy or kitten approach another animal. Stein just gets that trepidation down pat. I love watching the little Joey's body language. You can tell that he's ready to back away at a moment's notice at all times. When he meets the bird his left foot is already raised, ready. Curiosity will win out in the end, but for a while anything that speaks is considered potentially dangerous. Until, of course, it becomes surprisingly familiar.
Ultimately this is a story about coming out of your pouch. For little kids, it's pretty comforting. Mama is almost always nearby, open pouch waiting. The animals deemed scary couldn't be less so unless you slapped ridiculous eyelashes on them (not a suggestion). Stein is just one of those picture book author/illustrators that understands his readers. What he does is hard to do. Pouch! is just the latest example of this. It's a prepossessing little gem. Not big and showy. Just the kind of thing that works beautifully in front of big groups or as a cozy one-on-one bedtime book.
Ages 3-7.
February 25, 2010
I absolutely loved the first half of this book! It is adorable, sensitive and made me laugh. The sparse but well-chosen words and warm, fun illustrations so deftly convey the curiosity and enthusiasm of wee ones who want to venture out from mama--and also how easily they are surprised or frightened of the world and want to HOP back to mama--and the safety and comfort of her pouch, in this case.
I wasn't completely happy about the conclusion--while I think the intended message is that, when we have a friend who is like us, we can face the world with a smile and with bravery, it felt a bit dismissive of good ol' mom (i.e., Sorry, Mom, I've got a best friend, don't need ya now!) Maybe some kids, who aren't quite ready to "ditch" Mom in favor of a friend will think their feelings aren't validated. I also think that a lot of strength can be found in being alone and exploring as an individual (vs. the common theme of having to have a best friend joined at the hip) and that wasn't really portrayed, either. Then again, I am probably being WAY too picky here and maybe I was just in a weird mood when I read it. I really did love the beginning, just mention a few cautions for the end, depending on where your kid is with needing the "pouch" :-)
I wasn't completely happy about the conclusion--while I think the intended message is that, when we have a friend who is like us, we can face the world with a smile and with bravery, it felt a bit dismissive of good ol' mom (i.e., Sorry, Mom, I've got a best friend, don't need ya now!) Maybe some kids, who aren't quite ready to "ditch" Mom in favor of a friend will think their feelings aren't validated. I also think that a lot of strength can be found in being alone and exploring as an individual (vs. the common theme of having to have a best friend joined at the hip) and that wasn't really portrayed, either. Then again, I am probably being WAY too picky here and maybe I was just in a weird mood when I read it. I really did love the beginning, just mention a few cautions for the end, depending on where your kid is with needing the "pouch" :-)
March 14, 2020
A very young kangaroo named Joey (haha!) decides that he wants to hop on his own one day, and under the watchful eye of his mama, sets off on his first solo venture. But a surprise encounter with a bee sends him into a tailspin, and shouting "Pouch!," he makes a panicked dive for the safety of his mother. So it goes, also, when he meets a rabbit, a bird, and another kangaroo. Fortunately, this fellow kangaroo is also a youngster, also afraid, and also shouting "Pouch!," and the two marsupials - realizing how silly they are being - manage to befriend one another. Still under the watchful eyes (though not in the warm pouches) of their mamas...
There isn't a lot to David Ezra Stein's Pouch, text-wise, but what there is works wonderfully, communicating Joey's desire for a little bit more independence, without necessarily relinquishing his mother as a place of refuge (aren't all families a place of refuge?), and his utter panic, when he gets what he wants. The china marker, watercolor and pencil illustrations are bright and appealing, with a kind of free-form style that feels both casual and expressive. All in all, a most engaging little reassurance tale for younger children, one which validates their desire to explore, while also offering proof that watchful parents are there, in the background.
There isn't a lot to David Ezra Stein's Pouch, text-wise, but what there is works wonderfully, communicating Joey's desire for a little bit more independence, without necessarily relinquishing his mother as a place of refuge (aren't all families a place of refuge?), and his utter panic, when he gets what he wants. The china marker, watercolor and pencil illustrations are bright and appealing, with a kind of free-form style that feels both casual and expressive. All in all, a most engaging little reassurance tale for younger children, one which validates their desire to explore, while also offering proof that watchful parents are there, in the background.
February 10, 2010
This is a really fun read aloud book if read with the right amount of verve. Some kids will find it hilarious.
It’s a reassuring story about a young kangaroo (named Joey, a cute touch) who wants to hop, but also wants to return to the pouch, back and forth as he vacillates between his curiosity and his desire for some independence, and his struggles with his fears. Mama and her pouch are always there when Joey needs it. The ending is wonderful, and very insightful about how a child grows and develops, although perhaps a little bit bittersweet for mamas.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. They’re funny, have a lot of content and it’s fun to look for some of the less clearly defined subjects, and they’re very attractive.
It’s a reassuring story about a young kangaroo (named Joey, a cute touch) who wants to hop, but also wants to return to the pouch, back and forth as he vacillates between his curiosity and his desire for some independence, and his struggles with his fears. Mama and her pouch are always there when Joey needs it. The ending is wonderful, and very insightful about how a child grows and develops, although perhaps a little bit bittersweet for mamas.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. They’re funny, have a lot of content and it’s fun to look for some of the less clearly defined subjects, and they’re very attractive.
January 22, 2010
We loved this. A very simple story, about a timid baby kangaroo, that I thought would be too young for my 6-year-old but I every time the joey yelled "pouch!" and dove back in (I didn't skimp on the drama in my reading) my son laughed his head off. The ending is very sweet. Very nearly a perfect book.
January 12, 2018
He’s a scaredy cat. 😵👩👧👦
-Stella B
-Stella B
March 20, 2020
A little baby kangroo works up enough courage to bounce out of the pouch just a little further each time. Then he runs into something that will make your toddlers smile.
Ages: 2 - 4
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Ages: 2 - 4
#geography #australia
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
January 11, 2011
The moment I opened this it turned into one of those "I wish I had this when Julia was a baby!" books. I absolutely adore the illustrations - so glad it was done the way this is and not in a different manner. The two parts of the book go great together and really add to each other instead of just "being there".
I think every parent will be able to see their baby in little Joey. And I know I was able to think back and laugh at the times where Julia was very like Joey. It really brought up some great memories and it was great fun sharing them with her as well.
The ending is just the best. Nothing else I can say - it's the best. The look on the joeys' faces is classic. And the mothers question is so, so relatable. I never thought I'd be relating to a kangaroo. :)
This is great for any age also - from birth up to parents like me. Can't wait to check out more of the authors work.
I think every parent will be able to see their baby in little Joey. And I know I was able to think back and laugh at the times where Julia was very like Joey. It really brought up some great memories and it was great fun sharing them with her as well.
The ending is just the best. Nothing else I can say - it's the best. The look on the joeys' faces is classic. And the mothers question is so, so relatable. I never thought I'd be relating to a kangaroo. :)
This is great for any age also - from birth up to parents like me. Can't wait to check out more of the authors work.
May 16, 2025
Read this for storytime on the bookmobile today and the kids had such fun hopping like kangaroos, buzzing like bees, and flapping their wings like birds!
Also presents good opportunities to discuss feeling scared/finding your courage.
Also presents good opportunities to discuss feeling scared/finding your courage.
January 5, 2021
A story of coming-out-of-mama's-pouch.
I love it!!
I love it!!
January 21, 2021
I was confused about the main character Kangaroo’s name and I’m an adult.
November 20, 2023
We must have read this a few dozen times over the years...such a sweet book that was good for my super cautious, super sweet kiddo. Highly recommend if you have a kiddo that needs a little extra help leaving the pouch so to speak.
March 3, 2010
A cute little book about Joey, a baby kangaroo who wants to explore his world but each time he meets something new he gets scared and wants to get back in mom's pouch. Then he meets another kangaroo, they both get scared and want their pouches until they realize how funny they are. Then they want nothing more than to hop around together.
February 20, 2010
I love this--cute without saccharine!
The story has perfect story time potential--the increasing steps, the refrain of "Pouch!". Alas, the art may a bit too softly shaped to make it ideal for reading to anything but a very small group. I think I'll try it anyway, though....
The story has perfect story time potential--the increasing steps, the refrain of "Pouch!". Alas, the art may a bit too softly shaped to make it ideal for reading to anything but a very small group. I think I'll try it anyway, though....
February 3, 2024
Pockets storytime. Prospector
August 27, 2020
The safest place in the world is Momma's pouch. I think everyone's natural instinct is to hop back to the pouch and curl up in safety inside when we feel scared or threatened, to return to a place we've known as safe since day one of our existence. Venturing out into the world, even just one extra hop at a time, can be frightening, but as long as we have that pouch to jump back to, everything kind of feels like it will be fine. A secure home base is the mooring for all contented adventuring.
Shortly after Joey is born, he lets his mother kangaroo know he wants to hop. There's a lot to see outside the pouch he has lived in since birth: experiences to be had, people to meet, places to bounce as he explores down the road on his own. But timidity creeps in on Joey the first time he runs across another living being in the outside world, a bee. And it's a hasty retreat back into the pouch for Joey, nervous at what this unusual flying insect might be like and how it will react to him. Joey is happy to snuggle inside his mother's warm, protective pouch for a while longer, but one can't be happy sitting idly forever. Out he comes to hop again, moving another pace further down the road before a second creature, a rabbit, sends Joey frantically bounding back home to his pouch. Joey repeats this process several times, always making it one more hop from Momma before meeting another animal that sends him scurrying to safety. A life free of the pouch seems glamorous, in theory, but what about the great big world that lives out there? That world can be scary for a little Joey whose heart flutters in fear at the sight of anything strange or unexpected. But then Joey makes one last hopping excursion, and finds a creature unlike any so far, one that just may be as fearful of Joey as he is of it. Imagine, an animal actually being nervous around Joey! Could it be true? But Joey knows there's nothing frightening about himself...how could someone else not know? Maybe Joey has found a friend, after all; and in that friend, a good enough reason to brave his own fears and keep him out of the pouch for a while. When you meet up with a heart as shy, uncertain and sensitive as your own, it just might be the basis for a great friendship. And you'll be surprised to realize, over time, that neither of you have felt the need to go hopping back and hide in your pouches.
Pouch! sincerely and insightfully addresses issues of fear and how it inhibits our ability to feel comfortable out in the world, but does so in such an endearing way that it never feels like a book about fear. Traumas small or large can be enough to send anyone trembling back into their pouch, shutting their eyes against a world that sometimes seems so bright and inviting, so full of beauty and laughter and friendship and truth, yet can turn so scary without any warning at all. It feels, at times, as if the safest and best course of action is to stay in the pouch permanently and never chance getting out, never lay a foot upon the ground that could trip you or suddenly sink beneath your weight. And it may be safer that way, but it definitely isn't better. No matter what we fear is waiting outside, real or imagined, major or minor, every joey has to leave his pouch eventually if he wants to go anywhere. The rewards might be just as satisfying as what Joey finds in Pouch! when he ventures away from his mother...but we won't know for sure until we gather the courage to hop away and explore. May we all find some happiness beyond our pouch.
David Ezra Stein's illustrations are simple yet beautiful, especially in the two-page spreads we get every once in a while in Pouch!. The illustrations are so sweet, too, that one can't help being touched by them. It's easy to form a relational attachment to Joey and want him to find what he seeks on his forays outside of his home. The charm of David Ezra Stein's storytelling and artwork are both considerable. I would give this book two and a half stars, but it was a fairly easy decision to round that rating up instead of down. Star ratings and personal criteria for deciding them may change over time, but what surely won't change is my fondness for Pouch!. I will always have a special liking for Joey and his story because of how much I identify with them.
Shortly after Joey is born, he lets his mother kangaroo know he wants to hop. There's a lot to see outside the pouch he has lived in since birth: experiences to be had, people to meet, places to bounce as he explores down the road on his own. But timidity creeps in on Joey the first time he runs across another living being in the outside world, a bee. And it's a hasty retreat back into the pouch for Joey, nervous at what this unusual flying insect might be like and how it will react to him. Joey is happy to snuggle inside his mother's warm, protective pouch for a while longer, but one can't be happy sitting idly forever. Out he comes to hop again, moving another pace further down the road before a second creature, a rabbit, sends Joey frantically bounding back home to his pouch. Joey repeats this process several times, always making it one more hop from Momma before meeting another animal that sends him scurrying to safety. A life free of the pouch seems glamorous, in theory, but what about the great big world that lives out there? That world can be scary for a little Joey whose heart flutters in fear at the sight of anything strange or unexpected. But then Joey makes one last hopping excursion, and finds a creature unlike any so far, one that just may be as fearful of Joey as he is of it. Imagine, an animal actually being nervous around Joey! Could it be true? But Joey knows there's nothing frightening about himself...how could someone else not know? Maybe Joey has found a friend, after all; and in that friend, a good enough reason to brave his own fears and keep him out of the pouch for a while. When you meet up with a heart as shy, uncertain and sensitive as your own, it just might be the basis for a great friendship. And you'll be surprised to realize, over time, that neither of you have felt the need to go hopping back and hide in your pouches.
Pouch! sincerely and insightfully addresses issues of fear and how it inhibits our ability to feel comfortable out in the world, but does so in such an endearing way that it never feels like a book about fear. Traumas small or large can be enough to send anyone trembling back into their pouch, shutting their eyes against a world that sometimes seems so bright and inviting, so full of beauty and laughter and friendship and truth, yet can turn so scary without any warning at all. It feels, at times, as if the safest and best course of action is to stay in the pouch permanently and never chance getting out, never lay a foot upon the ground that could trip you or suddenly sink beneath your weight. And it may be safer that way, but it definitely isn't better. No matter what we fear is waiting outside, real or imagined, major or minor, every joey has to leave his pouch eventually if he wants to go anywhere. The rewards might be just as satisfying as what Joey finds in Pouch! when he ventures away from his mother...but we won't know for sure until we gather the courage to hop away and explore. May we all find some happiness beyond our pouch.
David Ezra Stein's illustrations are simple yet beautiful, especially in the two-page spreads we get every once in a while in Pouch!. The illustrations are so sweet, too, that one can't help being touched by them. It's easy to form a relational attachment to Joey and want him to find what he seeks on his forays outside of his home. The charm of David Ezra Stein's storytelling and artwork are both considerable. I would give this book two and a half stars, but it was a fairly easy decision to round that rating up instead of down. Star ratings and personal criteria for deciding them may change over time, but what surely won't change is my fondness for Pouch!. I will always have a special liking for Joey and his story because of how much I identify with them.
November 28, 2018
Pouch!
by David Ezra Stein
Pouch! is the story of a little kangaroo, Joey. Ever since he was born Joey has lived in his mother’s pouch. One day he peeks out and sees the world. He tells his mama he wants to hop. As he begins to hop around he runs into other animals. The other animals ask joey who he is. Every time this happens joey gets scared and hops away screaming Pouch! Joey continues to want to hop again and every time he takes one more hop then the last time. One day he runs into another little kangaroo. This kangaroo reacts the same way as Joey. Hoping and yelling Pouch! The two kangaroos discover they were both afraid. So instead of going alone they begin to take on the world together. The next time their mothers ask Pouch? They respond no thanks.
This story is great for preschool to 1st grade. It not only teaches a life lesson of not going it alone. It also teaches kids to count with each hop. The illustrations in this book are very simple. The kangaroos are simple while the background has detail. The illustrations go along very well with the story and help to tell the story. There are a wide variety of colors used that helps grab the readers attention. The kangaroos do not resemble a life like kangaroo, but instead a cartoon. The front cover of the book really jumps out at you. It has the title Pouch! in white and bright yellow. It also has the mother kangaroo and Joey in the pouch with his arms open wide. This is very inviting to the reader.
by David Ezra Stein
Pouch! is the story of a little kangaroo, Joey. Ever since he was born Joey has lived in his mother’s pouch. One day he peeks out and sees the world. He tells his mama he wants to hop. As he begins to hop around he runs into other animals. The other animals ask joey who he is. Every time this happens joey gets scared and hops away screaming Pouch! Joey continues to want to hop again and every time he takes one more hop then the last time. One day he runs into another little kangaroo. This kangaroo reacts the same way as Joey. Hoping and yelling Pouch! The two kangaroos discover they were both afraid. So instead of going alone they begin to take on the world together. The next time their mothers ask Pouch? They respond no thanks.
This story is great for preschool to 1st grade. It not only teaches a life lesson of not going it alone. It also teaches kids to count with each hop. The illustrations in this book are very simple. The kangaroos are simple while the background has detail. The illustrations go along very well with the story and help to tell the story. There are a wide variety of colors used that helps grab the readers attention. The kangaroos do not resemble a life like kangaroo, but instead a cartoon. The front cover of the book really jumps out at you. It has the title Pouch! in white and bright yellow. It also has the mother kangaroo and Joey in the pouch with his arms open wide. This is very inviting to the reader.
June 11, 2017
This charming picture book has a great message about young children exploring the world around them, while still enjoying the safety and protection of a caring parent. When Joey was born, he spent all of his time in his mother's pouch. But now he's gotten big enough to stick his head out and look around. He wants to hop about, but each time he goes out he gets frightened and returns to the pouch. Young readers will appreciate being shy around new people and the joy of making a new friend. Warm, cheery watercolor illustrations help make this a great book to share with primary aged children at story time.
October 15, 2017
This was a cute book about a Kangaroo who wanted in and out of her Pouch curious about what's on the outside. He went from animal to animal asking who they were and then wanted back in his mama's pouch until one day he realized he was ready to be out of the Pouch. Maybe he felt more secure in knowing the animals in his surroundings. This is great life lesson book. Children will adventure on their own when they are ready and the Kangaroo knew when it was time to adventure out into the world. Maybe he felt safer asking about different creatures. Satisfying a child's curiosity is the name of the game when children are little. The more they inquire the more they absorb and learn.
April 11, 2020
A baby kangaroo begins to explore the world outside his mother’s pouch.
This story depicts the balance between the desire to explore and the need for security. Each time that Joey leaves his pouch, he travels a little bit further before returning to his mother for reassurance. He slowly becomes more comfortable being on his own until he is ready to the leave his mother's pouch. Young readers will relate to feeling curious and scared at the same time.
The relationship between Joey and his mother also demonstrates the importance of a secure attachment between child and caregiver. If a child has a secure attachment, it allows that child to gradually increase his/her independence.
Disclosure: Dolly Parton was kind enough to send our family this book through her Imagination Library Foundation.
This story depicts the balance between the desire to explore and the need for security. Each time that Joey leaves his pouch, he travels a little bit further before returning to his mother for reassurance. He slowly becomes more comfortable being on his own until he is ready to the leave his mother's pouch. Young readers will relate to feeling curious and scared at the same time.
The relationship between Joey and his mother also demonstrates the importance of a secure attachment between child and caregiver. If a child has a secure attachment, it allows that child to gradually increase his/her independence.
Disclosure: Dolly Parton was kind enough to send our family this book through her Imagination Library Foundation.
March 1, 2018
So much fun to share in a library pre-school story time! Just two lines of text per page, lots of opportunity for shouting together the word POUCH! as little Joey says as he jumps back in after encountering new things, such as a bee, a rabbit, a bird, and another joey. Children name them for you if you pause. The performer can invite children to jump with Joey, first two times, then three times, then four times, and finally five times. In our case we let our hands jump off our laps so we could all remain seated.
May 17, 2019
Each time Joey hops out of the pouch he adds an extra hop. I "hopped" my fingers on my lap during storytime, but I think for babies that sit it would be fun for parents to bounce the baby for each hop. I am still looking for a book like "Overboard!" where caregivers tip the baby on their lap each time the word "overboard" is said. Pouch! is like that, but it doesn't have the rhyming that Overboard! does.
March 1, 2018
It can be a little scary for a joey to venture outside of the pouch for the first time. That's what happens to Joey in this story. He ventures out but each time he encounters a new animal, he yells "POUCH!" and takes off back to his momma. Until he encounters someone that looks like him!
June 25, 2018
So much fun to bounce this book along as the joey hops. A great one for an animated storytime. Perfect candidate for redirecting a storytime crowd gone distracted, then doing the kangaroo song. Love this simple book, great for toddlertime as well.
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June 22, 2019Sweet read for beginning readers with a good story. It would work beautifully for storytime, too. I'll have them shout "Pouch!"
kangaroos, mamas, safe, timid, run away, hide, getting brave, friendship, all it takes is a good friend
kangaroos, mamas, safe, timid, run away, hide, getting brave, friendship, all it takes is a good friend
June 20, 2020
Little Kangaroo discovers there is a whole world out of the safety of his mama's pouch. But the good news...mama's pouch is always read to welcome back. A very short picture book. Great for kids without much patience as there is only one sentence per page. Cute overall.
April 26, 2021
A joey encounters other animals and ends up jumping back into his mom's pouch because he feels frightened. When he meets another joey, they end up befriending one another. They are no longer afraid and don't need to return to their moms' pouches.
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May 18, 2023Turn/Level: 2/2
Movement, Kangaroos, Fear
Before beginning to read the book, tell the kids that whenever they hear the word 'pouch' they have to return to their seats. Then have the kids do the same number of hops as in the book.
Movement, Kangaroos, Fear
Before beginning to read the book, tell the kids that whenever they hear the word 'pouch' they have to return to their seats. Then have the kids do the same number of hops as in the book.
March 2, 2017
Got this for a five-year old's birthday and I sure hope he likes it! I thought it was cute.
June 10, 2017
Sweet book.
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