The Whale in My Swimming Pool - Hardcover

Joyce Wan is the author and illustrator of many popular board books, including You Are My Cupcake and We Belong Together. She is also the illustrator of Sandra J. Howett's Sleepyheads. Joyce lives in New York City. Through all her work, she hopes to inspire people to embrace the spirit of childhood and to follow their dreams.

PreS-Gr 1—Wan's illustrations of rounded figures in bright colors demonstrate her professed inspiration from Japanese pop culture. A toddler in red swim trunks races outside to enjoy his blow-up pool, only to find an enormous blue whale in blissful residence. His mother's response to "Mooooooom, there's a whale in my swimming pool" is "Great honey. Don't forget about sunscreen," so the child attempts relocation via bribery, polite suggestion, and a game of fetch. He even employs a crane—which breaks. He finally decides to share the pool by climbing on the whale, and enjoys riding on its water spout. Unfortunately, when naptime arrives, the child discovers a snoring bear in his bed. Large, colorful illustrations set against ample space make this appropriate for group sharing. VERDICT Though this tale is a bit formulaic, some droll touches, such as the shark in the neighbor's pool, keep it fun.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA