FICTION

Watersong

by Tim MCCANNA
illus. by Richard Smythe. 32p. S. & S./Paula Wiseman Bks. Jan. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781481468817; ebk. $10.99. ISBN 9781481468824.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—McCanna's fourth picture book follows a rainstorm from the very first drip to the final glow of a rainbow. A baby fox begins his journey through the storm by a beautifully illustrated pond. Along his way, he splats, sloshes, and squishes through the puddles, all while seeing various animal friends. As the story and the storm continue, the sounds and images get darker. Both the fox and the storm become more frantic as time ticks on. McCanna's use of onomatopoeic words helps the natural scenes come to life, as do the spare rhyming text; both will aid preemergent readers. The delightful full-spread illustrations and the size and colors of the text add to the mood of the prose.
VERDICT This sensory picture book will work best read one-on-one so children can pore over the watercolors. A pleasing addition to most collections.
Reviewed by Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY
From the "[cf2]plip plop[cf1]" of the first large raindrops to the "[cf2]whish![cf1]" of a river in heavy downpour to a quiet rainbow-filled blue sky, a rainstorm's musicality is captured in a series of resonant sound words matched with evocative digital and watercolor art. An immersive read-aloud rejoicing over (per the addendum) "the sounds of water...a song of life and connection."
 , Jan 01, 2017

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