If your preschooler is comfortable in German, you may be wondering which read aloud books will fully engage their interest and continue helping them enrich their vocabulary. Andreas H. Schmachtl is one of our favorite authors for young kids who speak German well. Schmachtl’s works are whimsical, funny and richly illustrated in watercolor. We love them for their visuals as much as for the way they really engage young children and help them continue to grow their German skills in a natural way.
Schmachtl’s series targeted to the youngest children is about a little boy rabbit named Juli Löwenzahn (Julian Dandelion), who lives in a charming forest cottage with his mother, father and many, many sisters. Juli gets into many silly adventures, partly because of the unusual way he thinks about things. For instance, in Juli Löwenzahn rettet das Weihnachtsfest, Juli takes it upon himself to get and decorate a Christmas tree, using everyday objects he finds around the house. You and your child will laugh at the inventive way Juli decorates, and celebrate with him when his family discovers his Christmas creation.
There are over ten different books in different formats, but we particularly recommend the larger anthologies for home use, as they include so many stories. There is enough variety to make them worth a spot on your home bookshelf, and the stories are short and written in a way that keeps young readers engaged — just right for bedtime.
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