Polly's Picnic [Hardcover]

Richard Hamilton (Author), Sophy Williams (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

Polly's picnic is ruined when some uninvited guests greedily consume the goodies:in fact, the whole basket:she's prepared for her riverside feast! Some ducks, a fox, two cats, and a horse eat the lot, and when a goat wanders by, he exclaims that the empty basket is a perfect snack for him. When Polly complains that her picnic's all gone, the animals rally around and, with the help of Polly's mother, re-create a wonderful spread, making Polly very happy for not only the food, but the company too. With lush pastel illustrations perfect for summer, award-winning artist Sophy Williams creates a delicious environment for picnic time or for anytime!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 1-Polly wants only to enjoy a pleasant picnic by the river, but greedy animals have other ideas. One by one, they find each piece of food so delightful that they grab not just a bite, but everything, including the basket. Finally, the creatures examine their rude behavior and find a unique solution to replace Polly's picnic and reward her sharing-each one contributes to the preparation of a small feast. "`There's Polly's house,' the two cats cried./They found the door and burst inside./Then they measured,/mixed and baked/biscuits, sandwiches,/sausages, cakes." Williams's art reveals Polly through a haze of soft pastels, and soothing impressionistic backgrounds on full-page art neatly coincide with dialogue and narration for the fluid development of the child's tale. The single jarring note in this lovely book is the inexplicable introduction of an adult (her mother?) in the pictures without a textual reference. Despite that, the art in this book is a shared treasure for young and old.
Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Richard Hamilton is the author of a number of books for children, including Violet and the Mean and Rotten Pirates. He lives in England.

Sophy Williams's first illustrated book, When Grandma Came, was runner up for the Mother Goose Award. She lives in England.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books; 1 edition (April 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582348197
• ISBN-13: 978-1582348193
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,150,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read to share with little ones, June 10, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polly's Picnic (Hardcover)

Polly's Picnic is a spirited and happy picture book about a young girl who wants to enjoy a picnic by the river - only some malicious guests abscond with her tasty lunch! Soft, almost impressionistic-style illustrations by Sophy Williams and easy-to-read words comprising the text written by Richard Hamilton, wonderfully combine to make Polly's Picnic an enjoyable read to share with little ones, especially right before mealtime or bedtime.