Picture Book Review: Swim, Jim! by Kaz Windness (5/31/22)

Quick Booktalk 

While his siblings are natural swimmers, Jim, a young crocodile, is afraid to jump in, so he leaves the swamp to find a less intimidating place to learn to swim. 

About the Illustrations

The illustrations have a lot of variety. Some pages are large group scenes against a nature backdrop. Others are images of just Jim, or just his face. A few pages use panels to show the passage of time during a scene. Much is conveyed through the bodies and expressions of the characters. The illustrator does a wonderful job of conveying the appealing coolness of water on a hot summer day. 

Story Time Possibilities

This book uses a lot of dialogue and onomatopoeia, both of which make it appealing to read aloud. Fear of the water is a common childhood phobia among new swimmers, and this book puts a bit of a new spin on that concept that will appeal to groups of preschoolers and early elementary schoolers. It works for a number of themes: overcoming fears, summer, swimming, water, swamps, and crocodiles.

Reader's Advisory

This book feels like a cross between Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall and Froggy Learns to Swim by Jonathan London. It would also make a really fun read-alike for the Lyle Crocodile books. As a bonus, the last page of the book is a list of crocodile facts. Unfortunately, one of them is about farts, which strikes me as unnecessary, but I have a zero tolerance policy on bathroom humor that I know most people don't share.

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Swim, Jim! from Paula Wiseman Books in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: At the Pond by David Elliott, illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford (5/24/2022)

Quick Booktalk

Short poetic descriptions of pond life accompany beautiful mixed media depictions of animals and plants. 

About the Illustrations

The cool, lush pictures in this book are the perfect complement to the precise and evocative poems. Each page brings to life an aspect of the ecosystem of a pond in a way that immerses the reader in that environment and captures the behavior of the animals. Each illustration expands across a two-page spread leaving not an inch of white space anywhere, not even in the back matter. 

Story Time Possibilities

The nice thing about this book is that you could read the whole thing, or you could just read a few excerpts. There is no singular overarching plot connecting one poem to the next so it would be easy to share only as much of the book as your age group can handle. The poetry definitely begs to be read aloud and would be pleasing the ear of most children, including babies.

Reader's Advisory 

This is the fifth book by David Elliott to explore an ecosystem. The other titles are: In the Sea, In the Wild, On the Farm, and In the Woods. It would make a nice read-alike for Kate Messner's books with Christopher Silas Neal, especially Over and Under the Pond. Another excellent read-alike would be Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman. 

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of At the Pond from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Picture Book Review: Lily Leads the Way by Margi Preus, illustrated by Matt Myers (5/17/2022)

Quick Booktalk 

Lily the little sailboat is excited that a fleet of old ships is coming for a visit to her lake, but she worries what will happen if the bridge doesn't lift up for them in time. 

About the Illustrations 

In the style of characters like Mike Mulligan's Mary Anne and Little Toot, Lily is drawn as an anthropomorphized boat, with eyes in her front windows. The rest of each scene presents a realistic portrayal of the lake, its bridges, and the movements of the boats through the water. The sky and the movement of the water are painted exceptionally well, capturing perfectly the feeling of being out on the water. I also love the way the story incorporates a bit of education about different types of boats with drawings of a sloop, schooner, brig, etc.

Story Time Possibilities

There are some sounds that Lily and the bridge make  to each other ("Meee-me. Meee-me" and "Ooohhh--kay") that makes the idea of reading this aloud a little bit intimidating. I'd want to practice well first and maybe hear what those are actually supposed to sound like before attempting any performances with this book. Aside from that potential challenge, this would be an enjoyable book for preschoolers, especially those who are really interested in transportation. Other good themes for this book would be water, sailing, bridges, and adventure. 

Reader's Advisory 

This book is the boat equivalent of Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney. It also reminded me of Little Tug by Stephen Savage. It also pairs nicely with another new picture book, Old Wood Boat by Nikki McClure.

Disclosure

I received a review copy of Lily Leads the Way from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Lizzy and the Cloud by The Fan Brothers (5/3/2022)

Quick Booktalk 

Lizzy purchases a cloud from the Cloud Seller at the park, and she takes excellent care of it until finally, it's time to let it go free. 

About the Illustrations 

The pictures in this book are mostly gray, or at least have muted colors, with hints of yellow here and there. Lizzy's yellow rainboots and the other yellow items in the pictures keep the reader constantly thinking of rain and moisture, which creates the perfect atmosphere for a story about a cloud. The details of the architecture are also really impressive, and I enjoyed the subtle details of store fronts and cars that suggest a mid-20th-century setting rather than the present day. 

Story Time Possibilities

Because of the tiny details on some pages, I might skip over this for a group story time, but it will still be a delight to read aloud to curious preschoolers. There is so much happening in the pictures that is left unsaid in the text that kids will be desperate to study each detail and tell themselves the stories happening in the illustrations. 

Readers Advisory

There are a lot of stories about having to let go of rescued animals, beloved pets, lost balloons, etc., and this one isn't that different except that the loss in question involves a cloud. Still, the Fan brothers' whimsical illustrations transport the reader to another time and place (and reality) so effectively that this book lingered in my imagination for a bit after I finished reading it. It feels magical in a way that young readers will find very appealing and very comforting. 

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Lizzy and the Cloud from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.