Bath Time

A child fills up his bathtub with so many toys that there is no room for him in it.

PreSchool-Bath time is a blast in this penguin's cozy igloo. In a rhymed text, the engaging bird describes its rituals, delighting in these ablutions because they create an opportunity to load an incredible variety of toys and paraphernalia into the tub. A boat is joined by a porpoise, a shark, a snake, a whale, buried treasure, and a bevy of other diversions. When it comes time for the little one to hop in, it notes, "And last I add the soap, the sponge/the washcloth-one, two, three-/but can't get in myself because/there's just no room for me!" A bemused mother comes up with a felicitous solution to the dilemma and the evening concludes on a clean note. Delightful watercolor, gouache, and charcoal-pencil drawings add a good measure of personality and whimsy to the story. The affection displayed pictorially between mother and child will warm the cockles of hearts young and old. The penguins' igloo may be made of ice but their home and family relationships are anything but chilly.
Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

PreS. Parents who have trouble getting their toddlers into the tub will warm to this upbeat opening: "Bath time is a lot of fun-- / You won't hear me complain! / My mother turns the water on, / and I pretend it's rain." The little penguin pictured loves his bath so much that he goes overboard with preparations, adding bubble bath, treasures, and lots of toys to the tub, along with soap, a sponge, and a washcloth as an afterthought. In the end, he's puzzled to find no room for himself. The last scene shows the toys lined up against the bathroom wall as the mother washes her little one in the bubbly tub and he plays happily with a ball. The rhyming text rolls along in a satisfying way, while the large-scale artwork, in charcoal pencil with watercolor and gouache, reflects the innocent and lightly humorous tone of the verse. Little listeners probably won't be so easily convinced that bath time is fun, but they will surely enjoy this bright, appealing picture book. Carolyn Phelan
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