Product Description

"Striking artwork and superb pacing of the text make this a must-have for story-time collections."- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)

Hot, hot, hot! Everyone is hot - the elephant, the tiger, and the rhinoceros. But the baby elephant knows just what to do: lead all the big animals down to the water, where they can drink and squirt and splosh and splash! With brilliant paintings that saturate the pages, Flora McDonnell refreshes the very concept of young picture books.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1113039 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-01
• Released on: 2003-06-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 5.96" h x .71" w x 5.13" l, .38 pounds
• Binding: Board book
• 26 pages

From Amazon.com
If you know Flora McDonnell's award-winning work through Flora McDonnell's ABC, I Love Boats, or I Love Animals, then you're already familiar with her bright, uncluttered, kid-friendly illustrations. Splash begins with two Indian elephants on a sun-soaked yellow background. "Hot, hot, hot! The elephants are hot!" the first page pronounces in large type. And indeed, the overheated elephants look down in the mouth, as do the panting tiger and the pained rhinoceros on the following pages. Relief comes when the baby leads its mother--and presumably the other animals--down to the water. The cool blue rushes to fill the pages, as the elephants squirt and splash, and the rhinoceros goes "Splosh." Refreshed and happy at last, the animals have the baby elephant to thank for the excellent idea--"What a happy, cool, clever little baby elephant!" This simple, winning picture book captures the pure exaltation of a run through the sprinkler on a hot, hot day. (Baby to preschool)

From Publishers Weekly
Just in time for the dog days of summer, McDonnell (I Love Boats) makes waves with this captivating oversize picture book. The story line is simplicity itself: hot and grumpy, Tiger, Rhinoceros and Mother Elephant follow a baby elephant down to the water hole, where they find relief from the heat. Pairing her bare-bones text ("Hot, hot, hot! The elephants are hot") with big, bold, vibrant illustrations, McDonnell places her audience squarely in the midst of the fun. Underpinned by a thorough grasp of color harmony, McDonnell's artwork has an appealing, larger-than-life quality. Her color combinations tempt the eye and set the tone for each scene, from the orange and black stripes of a tiger's fur against a sultry yellow backdrop for "hot," to the soothing blues and greens of the waterhole oasis for "cool." The splash-fest especially is sure to delight preschoolers: "Whoosh! Sploosh! goes Tiger," reads one spread, while the next shows all four creatures romping, a "Splash!" printed next to each. With its easy, assured presentation belying a careful craftsmanship, this vigorous romp showcases McDonnell's keen sensitivity to the visual and verbal needs of the very young. Ages 3-6. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-Three of the animals that first appeared in Flora McDonnell's ABC (Candlewick, 1997) are given a winning story of their own. Days in the jungle are sultry and slow moving: "The elephants are hot. Tiger is hot. Rhinoceros is hot." Each one of these simple sentences is placed on a double-page spread along with a large close-up of the weary animal(s) set against a brilliant yellow background. When a baby elephant leads the other creatures to a water hole, they not only quench their thirst but also start a water fight. The minimal text turns playful as the animals "splash," "squirt," "whoosh," and "sploosh" the heat away. The bold illustrations, done in acrylic, gouache, and watercolor, are filled with color and movement. The foamy blues and greens of the water contrast with the arid backgrounds and provide visual refreshment. Children will love following these exotic creatures through the pages. Striking artwork and the superb pacing of the text make this a must-have for storytime collections.
Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.