ALA Booklist (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 1996)

Sam and Sid sing, but Sid will not stop. Sid sang and sang and sang. Sid's song is so long that Sam says so long. This very simple easy reader is part of the My First I Can Read Book series. Told with lots of repetition and illustrated with colorful cartoons that show Sid driving Sam crazy, the silly story will make preschoolers laugh and play with words. (Reviewed Aug. 1996)

Horn Book

Sid sings slowly. Sid sings softly. She sings high and she sings low. Sid just won't stop singing, so Sam uses a clever play on words to escape his songbird friend. Young readers will enjoy the text's silly humor, tongue-twisting alliteration, and simple wordplay. Colorful, uncomplicated drawings illustrate the book.

Kirkus Reviews

Sid and Sam sing a song. They sing a long song. It is funny. Yes, this is a My First I Can Read Book, in which Buck (Christmas in the Manger, 1994, not reviewed, etc.) either mirrors or mocks basic primers. Readers can decide. Sid, an African-American girl, and Sam, a red-headed boy, see each other and he begins to sing. Sid sings, too, and louder. Sam asks her to sing lower, so she gets low to the ground. Sam comments that her song is so long'' and she respondsSo long?'' ``See you soon!'' Sam says as he exits. The humor is pretty simple, and the puns will be clear to all but the youngest beginning readers, although the illustrations help with the jokes. Karas broadens the humor in his watercolors, giving the story a full park setting with statue, pond, benches, and animals dancing in the background. The whole endeavor runs to blatant exaggeration, but the effect is distinctly childlike. (Picture book. 3-6)"

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--Wandering around the park, Sid and Sam enjoy a silly singing game until Sam has finally had enough of the girl's unending song. " So long, Sid!,' he says,See you soon!' " The simple text has lots of repetition and clever wordplay. Karas's pencil, watercolor, and crayon illustrations convey the whimsy and delight of the children's friendship. The actions, facial expressions, and outfits are hilarious. This book is perfect for neophyte readers and is a wonderful companion to Chris Raschka's Yo! Yes? (Orchard, 1993). So long, Sid and Sam; see you in the library.--Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID