BUBBLES

Patience pays off for a persistent young kangaroo trying to make friends with a shy koala.

Like many young children, “Kangaroo love[s] to blow bubbles.” Both the pail she dips her bubble wand into and the bubbles she blows are a soft blue. When she notices yellow bubbles floating by, she follows them and is thrilled to find a little koala with a yellow pail. Koala, however, is not so enthusiastic. In fact, Koala retreats up a tree and rebuffs Kangaroo’s friendly overtures. Temporarily daunted, Kangaroo retreats. When she sees more yellow bubbles heading her way, Kangaroo returns to find that Koala is now willing to interact, though still from a distance. After an unexpected development, Koala finds the courage to take the lead. Chase’s straightforward and conversational text has an appealing rhythm created in part through repetition. In addition to accurately depicting the action, her watercolor-and–pen-and-ink illustrations add humor and heart. The pictures feature charming, childlike characters in a lightly sketched pastoral setting placed against generous amounts of white space. Though simple, they convey emotion effectively and capture Kangaroo’s bouncy enthusiasm, Koala’s initial fearful timidity, and Koala’s brave determination afterward.

Adorable animals, a succinct and amusing text, and a happy ending ensure that the author/illustrator’s fans will enjoy her latest outing—and will likely win her some new ones too.