Water [Hardcover]

Frank Asch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 1995 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Water is beautiful and useful and, in its many forms, vital to life. In this lyrical companion to The Earth and I, Frank Asch encourages young readers to appreciate anew one of our most precious resources.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stylistically and thematically reminiscent of Asch's recent The Earth and I, this picture book offers variations on a basic ecological concept: the importance (and omnipresence) of water. With simple, declarative sentences, the author runs through a litany of definitions, from the specific ("Water is rain. Water is dew") to the abstract ("Water is high in the sky. Water is deep in the earth"). Unfortunately, the cumulative effect of the "Water is" construction is tiresome; teachers and purists may object to misleading statement ("Water is what fish breathe"). The accompanying watercolor and acrylic illustrations are appropriately liquidy and abundantly prismatic, with colors bleeding into one another for a rainbow effect. The result includes striking, multicolored snowflakes, confetti-like rainstorms and striped waterfalls. Wavering between narrative and nonfiction, this title struggles to find an appropriate audience. For a more solid-er, fluid-presentation, see Ken Robbins's Water (Children's Forecasts, Nov. 28), a photo-essay released last season. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1?This celebration of water is a companion volume to The Earth and I (Harcourt, 1994), and shares its format and theme?nature appreciation. Asch identifies some of the many places water is found, from the obvious (rivers, lakes, rain, ice) to the not so obvious (clouds, dew, a tear). Although most examples will be familiar to young children, the picture of clouds with the caption "Water is high in the sky" may confuse them. A double-page spread of an urban scene shows the many uses of water, from car washing to putting out fires. As in The Earth and I, brightly hued watercolor, acrylic, and colored-pencil illustrations executed in collage style create a kaleidoscopic effect. However, despite the vivid colors and flowing lines, some of them appear static. Overall, though, the book is visually appealing. Michelle Koch's World Water Watch (Greenwillow, 1993) offers a similar message at a slightly higher level and provides more substantial information. Asch's title is not an essential purchase, but it is a useful and attractive way to develop an appreciation for the environment in young readers.?Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (March 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152001891
• ISBN-13: 978-0152001896
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,944,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book!, January 9, 2007

By 

Kbear - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Water (Paperback)

My son and I love the Frank Asch books and this one looked very different but we love it too! I like to read this book very slowly to my son and really let him abosrb the beautiful illustrations and the words that I'm reading, and he seems very taken in by it all. Short, sweet and educational!

0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I didn't realize it was a children's book, August 5, 2009

By 

Donald E. Sutton "Don" (St Pete Beach) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Water (Paperback)

None of the information about this book indicated it was a children's book. I was pretty upset that I wasted my money. In my opinion, it isn't a very good children's book.