Flip-Flops - Hardcover

Cote, Nancy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807525049 ISBN 13: 9780807525043

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co, 1998

Synopsis

Even though Penny is annoyed that she can only find one of her flip-flops on the day she goes to the beach, she discovers a number of uses for it and enjoys her time there

About this title

About the Author

Nancy Cote is a children’s book author and illustrator whose playful style has garnered her international attention. She is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, the AGA “"Pick of the Lists,” the Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, and the Society of School Librarians International Honor Book.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 2AThis sweet story features Penny, an African-American youngster who goes, somewhat unwillingly, to the beach with her mother. As they leave, Penny can only find one of her flip-flops and, once they reach their destination, she uses it to fan herself and dig in the sand. After a lonely, boring start, she meets red-headed Meggie and they become friends, tumbling, playing catch, chasing seagulls, and rescuing stranded starfish. At the end of the day, Penny writes Meggie's phone number on her flip-flop and promises to call. Together, the girls make "a perfect pair." Charming gouache and colored-pencil illustrations tell the story more vividly than the text, which is not as compelling. Crosby Bonsall's Mine's the Best (HarperCollins, 1973) is a better day-at-the-beach story, but this additional purchase will fill requests for summertime fare.ALisa Falk, Los Angeles Public Library.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The premise is a bit of a stretch, but Cote's book about the creative potential inherent in even the most unpromising articlein this case a single flip-flopspeaks for wide applications. Penny, bound to the beach with her mother, can only locate one of her flip-flop sandals (a.k.a. thongs) and hops to the car. At the beach, Penny finds uses for the flip-flop, among them a fan, scoop, crab-catcher, sand-writer. Throughout the day, she finds friends and loses them, but in the end makes contact with a pal who scratches her home phone number on the flip-flop. The point is well taken: To everything there is a season, and all it takes is fertile imagination to let the possibilities curl toward the light. Appealing beach scenes in sunny colors take the lightweight concept as far as it can go, but amiably. (Picture book. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Ages 4^-7. Penny is not entirely happy about spending a day at the beach with her mother. She doesn't want to miss out on fun with her friends, and to add insult to injury, she can find only one of her flip-flops. But, oh what fun she winds up having with that one rubber beach shoe. She uses it as a shovel, as a boat, and as a tool to pull hermit crabs out of the sand. All those activities involve Penny with new friends, especially Meggie, who writes her phone number on the flip-flop so that she and Penny can stay in touch. All the fun of a day at the seashore is nicely captured here, strung together by that one ubiquitous flip-flop. The cover art featuring the feet and a flip-flop looks awkward, but the inside art executed in gouache and colored pencil is lively and upbeat. The fact that Penny and Meggie's relationship is interracial is a bonus. Ilene Cooper

Edition details

• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807525049
• ISBN 13: 9780807525043
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 24