Splash! [Paperback]

Ann Jonas (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Splash goes the cat! Splash goes the dog! Who's jumping in the pond? Falling in and crawling out, how many animals can you count?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"I have a pond in my backyard. I have one turtle, two catfish, three frogs and four goldfish," announces the young narrator of this cheerful counting tale. She also has a dog and cat which, though far less enamored of swimming than the other creatures, also end up in the pond. The setting remains constant as Jonas's (Where Can It Be?; When You Were a Baby) art and text follow the numerous ins and outs of the pondside animals ("My dog and cat climb out. A dragonfly falls in. One frog hops out"). After noting each change, the child repeats the question, "How many are in my pond?" The real freshness here lies in Jonas's luminous illustrations, rendered in acrylic paints on clear acetate, which show playful action and humorous shifts in perspective as tiny and larger animals-and eventually the girl herself-slip into the water-each making a "SPLASH" of proportionate size. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?From the title page to the end, Jonas creates a book that keeps asking "How many are in my pond?," but in which counting is not the centerpiece?it's the splash that really counts. As in many of her books, the text is not confined to one part of the page, but changes color, size, and shape to work as part of and reinforce the illustrations. The blues of sky and water, soothing green of the lawn, and straight lines dominate the serene first page, but the mood abruptly changes as the turtle, then the frogs, the dog, cat, and even the young narrator jump into and then climb out of the water. White foam sprays up, the word "splash" floats above the spray, ripples appear on the water's surface, and the question waves at the bottom of the water. Each time, the response will be different as the number of creatures in the pond changes. On the last page, calm is restored, and the young African American narrator feeds her fish. This is an inventive picture book more than a concept book, since no numerals appear on any of the pages. Enjoy it as a beautifully illustrated, lively story about a girl, her pets, and lots of water.?Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (April 24, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688152848
• ISBN-13: 978-0688152840
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 9.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #432,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Big Splash With My 4-Year Old!, December 20, 2000

By 

"kswilks" (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Splash! (Hardcover)

The first thing that drew me to this book was its beautiful illustrations. When I read it with my 4-year old son, he loved counting the number of animals in the pond each time the page turned. It is a wonderful way for him to learn the concept of repetition from page to page and practice his counting skills. It also was a wonderful way for him to work on his higher-order thinking skills. On certain pages, an animal was out of the water, but its tail or leg might still be hanging in the water. It was very interesting to see my child debate whether this animal should be counted in the water or out of the water. This was an excellent book for this age-level.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great counting book!, April 5, 2001

By 

Lady Galadriel "Lisa" (Near DC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Splash! (Paperback)

This counting book is so much fun that the kids want to read it over and over. The drawings are colorful and the use of different animals excites the children. This is for preschoolers up to first grade.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High interest. Super math concepts intro. Kids love it!, January 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Splash! (Paperback)

A wonderfully simple story kids relate to helps them to see the results of adding and subtracting as visitors enter and leave a backyard pond. A few red herrings help advanced learners ferret out pertinent vs. non pertinent information. A crowd pleasing story to learn from.