Hide!

May 15, 2018
A fish jumps out of their fishbowl and into the ocean and (almost) ends up eaten! The story starts above water with an elephant and a fish in a boat. The elephant, Mike, naps. But the fish, Pat, takes a dive into bigger waters and sees other fish. Pat swims deeper and deeper and sees more and more marine life, including eels, coral, shellfish. The coastal collective rejoices--some even swim in circles--until a shark bursts onto the scene. A crab sounds the titular alarm--"Hide!"--sending all the smaller creatures into the nearest ocean nook or cranny. Everyone, that is, except Pat. Pat cries out "Help me!" just as the shark's jaws are about to clamp down. Fortunately, their elephant buddy, Mike, comically sinks down and lands on the shark, saving the day. The fish, in appreciation, lift the heavy elephant back to the surface. Told mostly through narrative text of sentences of five words or less, this entry in the I Like to Read series shares its companions' generous trim size. Some dialogue is conveyed via speech bubbles, and a larger font is used to convey emotion. In fewer than 30 words, Henry creates a bright, cheerful ocean world. The characters are expressive and inviting--even the scary shark is depicted smiling. The art, created using ink and paint, is boldly outlined and set against simple, gradated backgrounds. A delightful dip into reading. (Early reader. 3-7)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-In this beginning reader, two friends-Mike the elephant and Pat the fish-go on a boat ride together. While Mike naps, Pat sees other fish in the ocean, and jumps out of his bowl to join them for some fun. But the arrival of a shark makes for a little too much excitement, and Mike must jump in to save Pat. When Mike begins to run out of air, their new fish friends must help both Mike and Pat to the surface and, once back in the boat, conclude with a nap together. The author conveys so much action, excitement, and humor through the cartoon illustrations while keeping the text of the story simple enough for very beginning readers, who will more than likely want to revisit the story a second or third time. VERDICT This is a solid choice for those beginning to recognize sight words and visual clues. A winner for most easy reader collections.-Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Preschool-G Floating in a little boat, Mike (an elephant) naps while Pat (a goldfish in a bowl) looks down at the ocean and dives in to explore. She finds a cheerful world full of friendly fish and assorted sea creatures. When a shark appears, the animals scatter and hide, all except Pat, who ends up in its jaws. But wait! Feet first, Mike (an elephantine deus ex machina) descends, landing on the shark and freeing his friend. When the big fellow needs help getting off the ocean floor, little fish boost him toward the surface. Henry makes comedy look easy in this volume from the I Like to Read series. Printed in large type, the short, simple text uses repeated words effectively. Much of the book's humor is visual, from the surprise of the elephant-versus-shark encounter to the improbable sight of the fish propelling Mike upward with bubbles. Created with ink, watercolor, gouache, and acrylic, the playful illustrations set the tone for the story of this funny book, which is sure to engage beginning readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
As boating elephant Mike naps, his pet fish jumps out of his fishbowl and into the ocean. Fish Pat enjoys the adventure until a shark arrives; "Pat needs help," which arrives in the form of Mike (who himself later needs help to resurface). Told in a combination of expressive paintings, simple sentences, and speech-bubble interjections, this rather unexciting story is nevertheless suitable as an easy reader.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)