Splash!

by Ann Jonas, Ann Jonas (Illustrator)

Overview

"A young girl and a menagerie of animals...in ever-changing combinations swim in or fall in and climb out of the girl's backyard pond. The animals' continual activity encourages young children to use beginning mathematical skills to respond to the question that appears at the bottom of each double-page spread: 'How many are in my pond?'....The humorous situations and interactive questions make this book an excellent choice for both group and individual sharing."—Horn Book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780688110512
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/31/1995
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Lexile:	BR (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Ann Jonas has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including Color Dance, Reflections, and Round Trip, which was an ALA Notable Book and a "New York Times" Best Illustrated Book. She is a graduate of Cooper Union and has worked as a graphic designer for many years with her husband, Donald Crews. They live in upstate New York.

Ann Jonas has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including Color Dance, Reflections, and Round Trip, which was an ALA Notable Book and a "New York Times" Best Illustrated Book. She is a graduate of Cooper Union and has worked as a graphic designer for many years with her husband, Donald Crews. They live in upstate New York.

Editorial Reviews

In this picture book, which cleverly handles the principles of addition and subtraction, a young black girl keeps track of what's going on in her backyard. "I have a pond in my backyard. I have one turtle, two catfish, three frogs, and four goldfish. I feed them every day." Jonas provides a peaceful, lazy scene at the edge of the pond and under the water. At the bottom of the spread, the narrator asks, "How many are in my pond?" Then, in the following spread, the peaceful scene is disrupted when the turtle jumps into the water and a wave of water splashes out. Each successive spread introduces more chaos, as all the animals, including the pet cat and pet dog, jump in (or fall in) the water or climb out. The number of animals in the water changes with each turn of the page, and careful readers/viewers can have fun counting while they follow the natural reactions of the animals to each other. A clever concept book with physical humor and exciting acrylic paintings that capture the heat and drama of a sunny summer day.

Kathy Broderick