The Biggest Puddle in the World

March 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-In this quietly sweet story, Sarah and her brother Charlie spend time with their grandparents and set out to discover the biggest puddle in the world after several rainy days. The artwork exquisitely captures the subdued mood of days spent indoors as the children investigate their grandparents' big house and play dress up. When Sarah asks where the rain comes from, it's Grandfather T's promise to show them that leads them to the biggest puddle in the world. The rain stops, and the children, along with their grandfather and his dog Keeper, walk through the woods. Beautiful descriptions of the natural world, such as freshly grown mushrooms and wildflowers in the wake of the rainstorms, accompany Dion's illustrations to create a charming tableau of family and its connection to the outdoors. Sarah, Charlie, and Keeper jump through puddles, follow streams and rivers, and end up at the ocean. Grandpa T. provides a rudimentary introduction to the water cycle, although readers will likely need more information to fully understand it. At the end of the day, Sarah and Charlie return to their grandparents' home for pie and ice cream before more rain falls. VERDICT This lovely book honors the relationship between children and grandparents and encourages reverence for the natural environment.-Rachel Zuffa, Case High School, Racine, WI

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2019
When a child asks about the source of all the rain that has been pouring down for days, grandfather Big T. says he will reveal that answer after the storm, adding: "But first we'll have to find the biggest puddle in the world."The text is gentle and sweet; the visiting grandchildren (the narrator and a little brother), despite being cooped up inside, show no animosity and only the slightest impatience. When the storm has passed, the same stylized, muted illustrations that revealed grandparents and grandchildren enjoying their lives inside an old, comfortable home give way to the children exploring outside with Big T. and his shaggy dog, Keeper. The quest for the biggest puddle in the world includes wooded areas and meadows, post-rainstorm phenomena such as mushrooms and newly opened wildflowers--and, of course, puddle-jumping. The science of the evaporation cycle is so oversimplified that it is unlikely to register, but the idea that small bodies of water empty into ever larger bodies is clear--and leads to a joyous splashing scene. The return of the voyagers to the big old house and Granny B.'s homemade dessert is just the icing on the cake (or rather, the ice cream on the pie) for the quietly satisfying art and text. All characters present as white.Familial love, nature appreciation, and a bit of natural science. (Picture book. 4-7)

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