The Deep Deep Puddle

by Mary Jessie Parker, Deborah Zemke (Illustrator)

Overview

Young puddle jumpers will delight in this silly Seuss-like fantasy about a puddle that keeps on growing. How deep can it get? So deep that soon enough, glub glub glub, the entire city sinks out of sight, only to reappear later with everything in disarray. This ingenious urban counting tale will engage young ones learning their numbers, as well as older readers who will enjoy the overlying story and the breezy artwork.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101627624
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/18/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	21 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Mary Jessie Parker is a former teacher and current children's book author.

Deborah Zemke is a designer, illustrator, and writer of children's books.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Kids will be happy to dive right in, whether it’s shared in a lap or as part of a group." - Kirkus Reviews

"The gouache illustrations, which use a variety of points of view and are full of interesting details, angular people, and vibrant motion, are a delight to pore over." - School Library Journal
 

Editorial Reviews

A commonplace event takes an outrageous turn as a rain puddle quickly grows into a large body of water, disrupting life in a city. Parker counts up to 12 and back again, using repetition to build excitement as people, animals, taxicabs, and more fall into the puddle: “Two stray cats track curious reflections a little too close to the edge of the deep, deep puddle and... Glub... Glub... Glub... they sink out of sight.” Zemke’s whimsically chaotic spreads show archetypal city dwellers going about their business underwater: robbers seize at floating dollars, vendors reach for their soggy wares, a tourist takes an underwater cellphone picture. Readers will embrace the chance to laugh at the adult world turned upside down in this hearty readaloud. Ages 3–up. Illustrator’s agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, the Herman Agency. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Kids will be happy to dive right in, whether it’s shared in a lap or as part of a group." - Kirkus Reviews

"The gouache illustrations, which use a variety of points of view and are full of interesting details, angular people, and vibrant motion, are a delight to pore over." - School Library Journal
 

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 1—This circular counting story about a bottomless puddle brings city life delightfully to the fore. In a plot reminiscent of Judy Sierra's Preschool to the Rescue! (Harcourt, 2001), it rains all night until a "deep, deep puddle…stretches across the city street." One dog gets too close to its edge and "Glub…Glub… Glub…he sinks out of sight." Next come two cats, three squirrels, four pigeons, five children, six tourists, etc., until ten police officers cordon off the area and bring in eleven tanker trucks and twelve workers to drain the puddle. Everyone moves on, in descending numerical order, until the dog shakes his wet fur to create a new puddle. The counting aspect is secondary to the story and would be effective only for small groups or one-on-one readings. The refrain works well and encourages participation, although it does not appear uniformly after each number set, diluting its effectiveness. Nevertheless, the depiction of the lively city, the descriptive language ("nine robbers, coats crammed with stolen treasures, prowl…"), and the busy, visually stimulating pictures all create an appealing package. Zemke makes good use of page turns and the height of the book while representing the depth of the puddle containing its many victims. The gouache illustrations, which use a variety of points of view and are full of interesting details, angular people, and vibrant motion, are a delight to pore over.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

School Library Journal

Looking for a counting book that makes a splash? When an impossibly deep puddle forms in the middle of a busy city street, a shaggy dog falls in and sinks to its mysterious depths. Then two stray cats wander too close and fall in too. Three squirrels, four pigeons and five children follow suit, and then six tourists, seven taxis, eight street vendors and nine robbers! Luckily, 10 police officers appear, bringing 11 tanker trucks and 12 workers with hoses that suck up all the water. The count then reverses, with 12 workers packing up the 11 trucks, 10 police officers arresting the robbers and so forth. Finally, the shaggy dog emerges, shaking the water off his coat and starting a brand new puddle in the process. This otherwise ordinary counting story distinguishes itself with a bit of plot and a rich, precise vocabulary, making it appropriate for a wide range of ages. Soft watercolor illustrations with lots of blues and yellows depict the chaos in exacting detail. Children will enjoy poring over these illustrations, especially the one in which all of the people, animals and objects sink into the puddle. Many beguiling details, such as a cat pinching its nose and a robber grabbing for dollar bills, are there for the spotting. Kids will be happy to dive right in, whether it's shared in a lap or as part of a group. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews