Author & Illustrator: Lucy Ruth Cummins
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Ages: 4-8
As summer breathes its last gasp and the seven-year-old constantly asks me “when are we going to the pool?” my eyes turned to the gorgeously illustrated Our Pool sitting atop my too read pile. [See what I did there?] I knew the book would be beautiful. Cummins is in a word: superb. She has a wonderful eye for detail and uses color exquisitely. In fact, she’s illustrated some of my favorite books: Vampenguin, Truman, and Sylvie. Our Pool, did not disappoint, done in a mashup of pencil and digital art the characters jump to life and truly represent a cross-section of society.
The illustrations, however, are only a small part of the book (a great part, but only a small part). Cummins’ words capture the rhythm of a fast-paced city culture. Maximizing the use of alliteration–causing cacophonous climaxes, gloriously, gorging, eager, enthusiastic minds.
What happens when one goes to the pool? An entire adventure.
STOP! SUNBLOCK!
Like a fish out of water, I’m suddenly flopping
flailing, straining toward the pool’s edge
as Mom coats me from
head to pinky toe in slippery slimy sunblock.
Thanks to Cummins, you’ll be able to visit the pool year-round. Grab a towel.
Our Pool (Amazon)*
Our Pool (Support an Independent Bookstore)*
My thanks to Atheneum Books for providing a Review Copy of this book. All opinions provided herein are my own.
More books for this Age Group can be found here and here.
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