PICTURE BOOK REVIEWS : Serafina Makes Waves & A Fish Like Me
ABOUT THE BOOK
This purr-fectly adorable picture book introduces an irresistibly over-the-top new kitty character who’s ready to make a big splash!
Meet Serafina! If there’s one thing you should know about Serafina, it’s that she absolutely, positively HATES water. Running faucets, rain, or the sea? No thank you. So even though she looks fantastic in goggles, Serafina is NOT happy to be forced into a swim class by the powers that be. NOTHING can convince her to get into that disgusting pit of seething water. Nothing, that is, except maybe a very beloved old friend who needs a hand.
From acclaimed creators Matthew Burgess and Robin Rosenthal comes an unforgettable picture book that shows how trying new things can lead to unexpected joy.
REVIEW
This fun book introduces readers to Serafina, a cat of strong opinions. Her dislike of water practically jumps off the page in its intensity. Serafina tries many things to get out of swimming lessons to no avail. Her displeasure shines through in the intense frowns and drawn eyebrows of the adorable illustrations. Her friend, Lennie, however is thrilled to be taking swimming lessons and his enthusiasm results in Serafina's stuffed toy, Noodles, flying through the air toward the pool. Serafina leaps after Noodles to save her toy. At first she is upset with this "CAT-astrophe" before discovering the fun to be found in the water. Thereafter she enjoys her swimming lessons with her friends. Combining some fun to say out loud puns and bright appealing illustrations makes for a 'swimmingly' good read. A joyful ode to the fun of swimming.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Under here, there is
no top or bottom,
no left or right—
only fields of water to wander in
as topsy-turvy as I like.
Underwater, everything looks different—and every body moves differently, too. During swim therapy, a child discovers he can be a catfish, a seahorse, a starfish cartwheeling across the universe. He finds the magic of moving in wholly new ways, just like he does on land in his trusty wheelchair.
REVIEW
A young boy exuberantly embraces the freedom swimming provides him. His energetic imagination leads him to compare himself to a starfish, a catfish, and a seahorse as he swims through the water. The bright, colorful art highlights his imaginative comparisons. Readers quickly realize the boy uses a wheelchair when out of the water. The freedom and joy his swim therapy brings is quickly realized as well as the fun he has in his wheelchair as well. The illustrations show how he swims in the water like a fish and how he can get lost in 'this topsy-turvy world'. The gouache paintings combined with colored pencil also include some collage elements provided a more 3-D type experience. The spread where he talks about not always being brave and fearless and getting 'lost' shows bits of maps, emphasizing the point of the text. A lovely combination of poetic text and creative illustrations makes for a story that many children will relate to, whether they use a wheelchair or not.
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