Clark in the Deep Sea

December 21, 2015
Four siblings who live by the sea star in this lively kickoff to a seasonally themed, imagination-driven quartet of stories from Alley (Because Your Grandparents Love You). Gretchen’s stuffed bear sets the action in motion when he falls off the porch where the children are playing on a rainy spring day. “Bear overboard!” cries Annabelle, and Clark springs into action, diving into the “water” that suddenly replaces the front lawn. Instantly transforming into a deep-sea diver, Clark attempts to rescue the teddy bear while fighting off hazards that include a “rare, hungry Fur-Shark” that resembles the family dog, a “Million-Mile Eel” (inspired by a garden hose), and more. Alley’s breathless narration hypes up the action (“Triple horrors! The Million-Mile Eel trapped Clark by the fins!”), and his mixed-media illustrations follow suit—the soft pastel palette of the quiet porch scenes gives way to electric colors that energize Clark’s underwater escapade. The siblings’ adventures continue in Gretchen Over the Beach, available simultaneously. Ages 4–7. Agent: Emily Van Beek, Folio Literary Management.

January 1, 2016
The power of imagination brings four white siblings together when a rainy spring day strands them on their porch. While damp weather hinders their plan to enjoy the outdoors, Clark, Gretchen, Annabelle, and Mitchell wait on their porch, coloring and playing board games. The youngest one, Gretchen, invites her siblings to watch her toy circus, in which her beloved, egg-shaped "roly-polys" and teddy bear show off their acrobatic skills. When Bear loses its balance and falls "overboard," Clark jumps off the porch, and the front yard suddenly turns into the deep blue sea. With scuba gear, Clark plunges into the sea to find Bear. In his journey, he encounters different underwater creatures, which readers will see are imaginative variations of things present in his yard. In this spring entry in his seasonal sibling quartet, Alley gives readers a story of creating alternate imaginative worlds to escape boredom and enjoy independent adventure. Thanks to transitions from pale to rich watercolors throughout the story, readers can follow Clark and his emotions. Although the conceit is sweet, as an imaginary adventure, it pales in comparison to the many others already on the shelves. A pleasant-enough tale about sibling interactions and escapism. (Picture book. 4-6)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.