Chu's Day at the Beach

February 15, 2015
Gaiman and Rex return with Chu's third picture book, sending the sneeze-happy panda cub to visit the surf and sand. Big things happen when little Chu sneezes-especially at the beach. When Chu and his family first arrive, all is peachy. Chu's mother sits and reads, while Chu's father wades in the water. A bespectacled octopus offers Chu a refreshing ice cream cone to beat the heat. Soon Chu, decked out in a striped, retro-style full-body swimsuit, takes off his sunglasses. In the sunlight, his nose starts to tickle, a tickling that "fill[s] his whole head." Fans of the Chu books will know what comes next and will sneeze right along with him. With the big deed done, the unthinkable happens. The sea is split, the waves stopping Exodus-like, and it's up to Chu to sneeze again so he can save the stuck sea animals. Alas, sneezing on cue isn't so easy. Rex's comical and lively illustrations are enchanting gems. These include a family of merpandas, a gopher carrying his surfboard and chill amphibians sunning themselves. Chu's charm and silliness abound throughout this sneezefest. However, his final ah-choo doesn't provide the kind of satisfaction a just-expelled sneeze can give. That's because Chu doesn't come up with the solution himself. Nonetheless, fans will delight and pass the tissue, as the aviator-goggle-wearing panda pleases with most of his sneezes. (Picture book. 4-8)

February 1, 2015

PreS-K-Everyone's favorite panda with a hurricane-force sneeze is back for a new adventure. In this installment, Chu and his parents go to the beach. All is well until the little guy sneezes so forcefully that he separates the left half of the ocean from the right, making all the sea creatures very unhappy. In previous books the plot revolves around preventing Chu from sneezing, but here the problem is getting him to sneeze again in order to put things right. As in Chu's Day (HarperCollins, 2013 ), everyone is on high sneeze-alert, including readers: "'Please sneeze again, Chu. Will you sneeze now?' AAH. AAAAH. AAAAAH. 'No, ' said Chu." The repetitive plot combined with the tension of "will he or won't he?" and the humor of the shrug as he says 'No' makes the story work for a variety of ages. Since the results of the second sneeze are clearly established before it happens-the ocean will go back to normal-this is the most accessible Chu story yet and a great choice for large groups. Rex's menagerie of anthropomorphized animals, including merpandas, drawn in hyper-realistic human settings creates a humorous alternate reality that perfectly complements the plot. VERDICT A fun addition to most picture book collections.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015
Preschool-G In the third tale about Chu, the little panda and his parents visit the beach. A hint about the forthcoming crisis appears on the first page: When Chu sneezed, big things happened. On the shore, Chu removes his sunglasses and gazes in wonder at the water. The sunlight causes him to sneeze, which parts the sea and creates a wall of water, like a frozen tidal wave. Everyone begs him to sneeze again and fix the problem, but he is unable to oblige. After several futile attempts, Chu is given some advice by a friendly snail, which helps return the sea to its original fluid state. The slight story line is aided by charming, painterly oil and mixed-media illustrations, which show a beach populated by many of the animals that appear in the other Chu stories, including a cat, grasshopper, octopus, frog, turtle, and elephant. Bright colors and the assortment of creatures will enchant children who enjoy poring over pictures, while the type size and short sentences make this a good fit for early readers. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This adorable sneezing panda has a bevy of fans who will want to get their paws on this one, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)