Amazon.com: April Showers (9780688131227): George Shannon, Jose Aruego: Books

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995 | Age Level: 4 and up

There has never been an April shower like this one. From first page to last, the rhythmic prose and the hilarious dancing frogs invite young readers to join in the fun. Rain or shine, its a joyous romp any day of the year. Watercolor illustrations.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } There has never been an April shower like this one. From first page to last, the rhythmic prose and the hilarious dancing frogs invite young readers to join in the fun. Rain or shine, its a joyous romp any day of the year. Watercolor illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K?Five lively, bouncy, countable frogs dance their special April Showers dance ("We're gonna tip-toe twirl/We're gonna twirl, toe tip!"). Then, a threat appears amidst the colorful flowers: a snake that promptly swallows one of the dancers. The four remaining participants dance on, pummeling the snake in various ways until he gives up his frog dinner. Finally, the "snake" reveals himself as...five frogs in a disguise. Shannon's rhythmic text is well done, with an infectious beat that only occasionally falls flat. Young children will enjoy watching the figure of the snake emerge from the colorful flowers, and will also enjoy the surprise ending. Aruego and Dewey use their characteristic playful style to good effect, with clear, attractive colors and simple, graceful lines. On the whole, though, April Showers will not lend itself to group participation as readily as some of the other books these three have done together (Dance Away [Greenwillow, 1982] for instance); the story is not as strong, the dance itself not easy to join in on. An additional purchase where picture books with seasonal themes are popular.?Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3^-5. April showers bring May flowers--and dancing frogs. "We do what's right. / We play by the rules. / But when the rain comes, we love to dance like fools!" warn five silly frogs, who leap, twirl, and shimmy through the pages of this lively story. Unfortunately, there isn't much to tie their goofy antics together. Granted, the preschool crowd won't sit still for a lengthy or complicated plot, but this trio's previous collaborations, Lizard's Song (1981) and Dance Away (1982), both offered audiences a short, simple story line. The new effort doesn't quite measure up, but it still has much appeal. Bright, cheerful watercolors splash across the pages, and although they don't make up for the absence of plot, they do make for lots of fun. Lauren Peterson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's George Shannon Page

It feels as though I have always been wrapped in stories and books. My parents read to me, and I in turn read to younger brothers. Family economics meant we couldn't own many books, but going to the library was as common as going to the market. I still have the books I received as gifts. They include two "Little Golden Books" that were savored in childhood, and have served as talisman ever since. THE BUNNY BOOK by Patsy and Richard Scarry (1955) and RABBIT AND HIS FRIENDS by Richard Scarry (1953).

Like all children I created stories as part of play. And, like some children, I was soon identified as one who "days dreams too much." I began writing stories when they were given as assignments in elementary school. By seventh grade I was writing even when there was no assignment. My dream of making books became so vivid, I submitted my first "formal" picture book manuscript to a publisher when I was sixteen. Eleven more years of school, work, reading, writing and luck finally brought about LIZARD'S SONG, my first children's book to be accepted.

Looking back, it seems especially appropriate that LIZARD'S SONG was my first book. Even though I had been writing for years, I always felt everyone else's life held better ideas for stories than mine did. I thought there was nothing about me that was interesting enough to make a good story. But I finally learned what Lizard teaches Bear. My best stories come when I tell or sing about what makes my home. What I love. What I fear. Things that have happened to me, and things I hope will happen. Things I like about me. Things I dislike about me. Things I understand, and things that still confuse me. So even though I am not a lizard, squirrel, chicken or rabbit, when you read my books you'll find little bits of what my heart calls home.

Picture books have been my professional focus now for 40 years. Reading them. Writing them. Sharing them with children. Teaching workshops and classes on writing them. Oh yes, and buying them. Lots of them. And now, blogging about them, and helping other writers.