Michelle LaRue, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA

Martinez-Alba, G., & Cruzado-Guerrero, J. (Eds.). Wordless books: So much to say! TESOL Press.

Wordless Books: So Much to Say!, edited by Gilda Martinez-Alba and Judith Cruzado-Guerrero (2015), is a collection of detailed lesson plans and sample rubrics that are coordinated with higher availability wordless books. These lesson plans are categorized by the complexity of pictures in the books, with 13 lessons for books with simpler pictures and 10 for those with more complex pictures. The lessons are then further organized by learner proficiency level, and suggested focal skills for each lesson are noted both in the table of contents and on the sample rubrics. Although many lessons are designed for specific proficiency levels, the book contains other lessons that are labeled for use with all proficiency levels. These lessons are slightly less specific in nature but include suggestions for how to modify activities based on the learners’ level.

The lessons are well formatted, and the information provided for conducting the lessons is detailed, including notes for assessment of the lessons, additional resources, and suggested connections with both TESOL and Common Core standards. Although designated proficiency levels appear accurate and could be easily altered for use with other proficiency levels, an appropriate age range for each lesson is not designated, nor is it easily identifiable without reviewing the lesson. The interaction between targeted proficiency level and age is an issue for certain lessons. For instance, the first lesson in the simple pictures section asks learners to shake cutouts of different shapes along to music, which is more appropriate for young learners than adult learners. Though other lessons in the section are not quite so clearly meant for young learners, there seems to be an underlying assumption that a beginner proficiency learner is also a young learner, which is often inaccurate when discussing second language learners. Based on the publisher’s description of the book, which suggests that it could be a useful resource for both K–12 and adult students, a better approach to age-appropriate materials could be expected but is ultimately nonexistent. Approaching age in a similar way to how learner proficiency is handled throughout the book would be a positive addition to any future publications of a similar nature.

Despite the minor issue regarding age, this book could be useful as a supplemental reading or resource in a teacher preparation course to help preservice teachers design lessons that target different proficiency levels or alternate populations. It may also be successful as a resource that could help both pre- and in-service teachers begin thinking about reading and literacy practices in different and innovative ways by emphasizing concepts over words. Martinez-Alba and Cruzado-Guerrero have created a book with the potential to be equally as useful for preservice English/language arts teachers as for preservice teachers planning to work specifically with second language learners. By incorporating a variety of options for improving the literacy practices of learners from all backgrounds, this book could positively impact both classroom dynamic and lesson effectiveness in diverse classrooms of second language learners and native English speakers.