POOL PARTY

A rhyming picture book celebrates pool time.

An ensemble of nameless children enjoys a cheerful outing at a public pool. Using compact couplets, the text describes their activities—belly-flopping, gliding underwater, sunbathing on the deck, and more. It also captures the sights, sounds, and sensations of the experience, such as “FINGERS PRUNED” and the “SUN-KISSED GLOW” that follows a long swim. Illustrations showing kids having all sorts of fun in the rippling blue water, using animal floaties, and eating Popsicles invite interest in what, to some young readers, might be an unfamiliar place. A class sensibility seems to be at work since the artwork portrays a swimming facility with bountiful equipment and tropical deck plants—a far cry from most public pools. Excellent vocabulary-building opportunities present in the brief text (cannonball and marooned, to name a few), which also offers plenty of chances to act out scenes and have conversations about water safety. The colorful illustrations take pleasing turns with full-bleed double-page spreads, continuous narrative art, and spot-art close-ups. Adults are only present to pick up the kids at the end of the party, there are no squabbles, and no Band-Aids are needed. Children are depicted with a range of skin tones and hair colors, and some are taller than others; but all are able-bodied, which is a missed chance to help disabled kids see themselves in such a setting.

Feels like a party, and you'll want to jump in.