School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-On a sunny morning, a pudgy rabbit packs up to go to the beach. He boards the bus with his pet goldfish, taking an overstuffed picnic basket and his beach umbrella. The quirky cast of characters on the bus, including a man in a silly hat and a tall, frisbee-throwing dog, is also headed for a day of fun in the sun. When they arrive, the sand is swarming with beach-goers, but the bunny manages to find a good spot. He enjoys a sand-filled lunch ("crunchy and good") and takes a dip in the sea, riding the waves with his goldfish. In the water, Fish befriends an affable octopus, who joins the goldfish in his little glass bowl. The rabbit and his friends fly kites, having "fun way up in the big blue sky." Finally, when the sun sets in a blaze of violet and gold, the beach-goers head for home. The straightforward text is augmented by Cartrow's uproarious watercolor and pencil illustrations. The exaggerated, somewhat startling facial expressions of the rabbit and his fellow sun worshipers, along with comical background details, enhance the easy-to-read story. VERDICT This madcap summer adventure will guarantee a fun-filled storytime.-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a buoyant dog tale from a master of the genre, a bulbous, scrunchy-faced, ugly-cute dog heads to the shore toting all the essentials for a day at the beach. "I hope I didn't forget anything," he muses, as a he boards a bus while wearing a hat equipped with an umbrella, toting a picnic basket, and pulling along his pet goldfish in a bowl on wheels. Catrow's (Dream Dog) sprawling, sun-splashed watercolors comically embellish the canine's deadpan narrative: "Here's a good one," he says, finding a spot in the sand, which he discovers is actually a sunbather's prodigious belly ("I'll keep looking," the dog adds). The fun continues full tilt when an octopus slides into the goldfish's bowl ("Fish has made a friend"), and the animals join a handful of beachgoers who are flying an array of hats and toys like kites. A final illustration reveals exactly what the dog-who is now as pink as the sunset on the bus ride home-forgot to bring to the beach, closing out the book with one last giggle. Ages 3-6. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
