Splish, Splash!

February 1, 1999
PreS-Gr 1-A tale of a fish named Chub and his wonderful big tub told in rhyme with colorful illustrations. Who would have thought that a bath could hold a fish, a cat, a bull, a snail, a giraffe, a snake-and more? But in they all go, with a tiny bug the last one to find a spot. Repeated throughout is the refrain, "And they splish/and they splash,/and they splash/and they splish." The silly illustrations show all the familiar tub-time accessories children love from rubber duckies to bubbles galore. A cat in a shower cap and a snake in an inflatable tube are just some of the amusing characters squeezing into this communal tub. The words are all simple and familiar, and the story is engaging, making it a good choice for beginning readers.-Dina Sherman, Brooklyn Children's Museum, NY

March 15, 1999
Gr. 1. Chub the fish is taking a bath when various animals stop by and ask to join him. Ever the gentleman, Chub makes room for all, till the bathtub is chock-full of rollicking friends: "And they splish / and they splash, / and they splash / and they splish." Simple, and at times predictable, the text will suit beginning readers looking for a short, manageable book to master. Adding color and a sense of good-natured fun, Wolff's scenes in the tub will have young children clamoring for a bath. ((Reviewed March 15, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)