Let's Go Puddling! by Emma Perry

Abstract

Reviewed by: Let's Go Puddling! by Emma Perry Danica Ronquillo Perry, Emma Let's Go Puddling!; illus. by Claire Alexander. Candlewick, 2023 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781536228496 $17.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-6 yrs As the "clouds gather, skies darken, rain falls, puddles appear," the children of three families in an apartment complex hurriedly put on shiny boots and puffy jackets and rush out the gates to go puddling—in other words, they "stimp, stamp, stomp" and "splish, splash, splosh" on muddy to teeny tiny to giant deep puddles. Eventually, they're all completely drenched from their splashing fun and head back to their apartments to snuggle on the couch, with a rainbow painting the now clear blue sky in the windows. Alexander's digital watercolor illustrations make a splash in Perry's picture book full of outdoor rainy entertainment. Shades of gray capture the gloominess of the skies and the city folks with their heads down, their umbrellas flying, and their coats flapping, contrasting with the children's transparent and joyful reflections cast on the puddles. The thinness of the watercolor paint creates a lighter atmosphere for the setting and balances with the sprinkling alliteration and bouncing rhythm of the text as perspectives switch from family to family dressing up for the weather or from child to child as they select the best puddles for splashing. Caretakers and children will want to grab a warm drink and get comfy on the couch to read this on a rainy day. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois