Playground Day

October 1, 2007
PreS-KA child, accompanied by her mother and dog, visits a local playground with a wagon full of toys in tow. She pretends to be various animals as she makes the rounds on the jungle gym, slide, swings, etc."Scurry, scatter, /chitter, chatter, /I hide like a]/SQUIRREL; Stretching, swaying, /jungle playing, /I climb like a]/MONKEY." The cut- and torn-paper collages are filled with color, depth, and texture, making the pages come alive with the girl's joy and enthusiasm. The engaging text and illustrations invite children to move around and to make the animal sounds. An enjoyable selection for storytimes."Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2007
Celebrating what children can imagine on an ordinary playground, Merzs second picture book features a little girl who becomes all sorts of different animals in one afternoon. Each page turn reveals a new creature in its own habitat: Stretching, swaying, jungle-playing / I climb like a . . . MONKEY. Merzs images are colorful collages, with faces painted to be full of good cheer. Even the gray elephant, balancing on rocks in a river, has a big smile. The paper has been cut and torn with an artful imprecision, fairly detailed and often textured but not so intricateto bedistracting. Making full use of her surroundings, the little girl plays by herself, with her mother, with another child, and with a host of stuffed animals. The book ends on a reassuring note: Sun is setting, moons in sight. / Lets head home before its night. / Pick up, pack up, put away. / Well be back another day. The last page shows the little girl dozing in the wagon that earlier sheeagerly pulled to the playground. She rests secure in the knowledge that she will be back.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2008
At the playground, a young girl imitates all of her stuffed animal friends, "Stretching, swaying, / jungle playing, / I climb like a...MONKEY" and "Running, racing, / riding, chasing, / I gallop like a...HORSE." Engaging action verbs will ignite the imaginations of young listeners. Mixed torn- and cut-paper and fabric-collage illustrations add dimension to the simple text.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)