Water Is Water

Starred review from April 27, 2015
Two siblings from a mixed-race family engage in water-related activities throughout the year in a poetic exploration of the forms that water takes. First seen exploring a pond behind their idyllic home, the boy and girl are driven indoors by a rainstorm and warm up with steaming mugs of cocoa on their front porch: "Drip. Sip./ Pour me a cup./ Water is water unless.../ it heats up./ Whirl. Swirl./ Watch it curl by./ Steam is steam unless.../ it cools high." From there, Paul (One Plastic Bag) moves through the seasons as clouds become fog, which transitions to rain that gathers in puddles. In winter, the children and their friends skate on the frozen pond, and spring's return brings the story full circle. As usual, Chin (Gravity) blends naturalistic detail with a glint of whimsy (in one spread, patchy clouds form the shape of a dragon in a wagon), evoking the seasons through shifts of light and changing foliage. A closing section shares additional information about the water cycle, rounding out a story as enchanting as it is informative. Ages 6â10. Author's agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary.

February 15, 2015
A biracial brother and sister explore the out-of-doors (and a bit of mischief) through the four seasons in this poetic look at the many forms water takes on its trip through its cycle. The book begins in summer as the siblings catch a turtle in the pond near their home before rain drives them indoors. From drinking a cup of water to watching the steam rise from their hot cocoa, the two notice the water around them, letting the turtle go again under a gorgeous cloud-filled sky before a page turn signals autumn, school, falling leaves and fog. "Rain is rain unless... // on the ground. / Slosh / in galoshes. / Splash to your knees! / Puddles are puddles unless... // puddles freeze. / Glide. / Slide. / Put on the brakes! / Ice is ice unless... // it forms flakes." Much like Deborah Lee Rose's illustrations for her Twelve Days books, Chin's realistic watercolor-and-gouache illustrations offer repeat readers seemingly endless new details, like the brother's propensity for finding small animals with which to torment his sister. The water cycle's importance is brought home in the closing pages, snow leading to spring to mud to roots to apples to cider. Backmatter tells more about each step in the cycle, using solid explanations and science vocabulary. An engaging and lyrical look at the water cycle. (water facts, further reading, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Starred review from March 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Paul's poetic text highlights various forms water takes as it follows a brother and sister through the year. It includes autumn fog and rain, frozen ponds and falling snow, steam from cups of cocoa, and snowmelt turning dirt to mud. Chin once again demonstrates his mastery of nature illustration, infusing familiar outdoor scenes with simple kid-centric activities that will hold readers' attention while they listen to the text. Although not as dramatic as George Ella Lyon's All the Water in the World (S. & S., 2011), Paul's introduction to the water cycle includes more information that will help extend learning. She provides examples of the water content of various living things and stresses Earth's limited supply of fresh water. The author ties explanations of processes such as evaporation and condensation to pages of the text. VERDICT A first-rate introduction to the water cycle for young readers.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015
Grades K-3 In this gentle and very cleverly rhymed book, basics of the water cycle are conveyed through what otherwise looks and feels like a narrative picture book. An effortlessly multicultural cast of kids floats, darts, and dallies through various seasons of the year, while Paul uses each spread to introduce the next phase of water. Example: Misty. / Twisty. / Where is the town? / Fog is fog unless . . . page turn it falls down. / Patter. / Splatter. / What is that sound? / Rain is rain unless . . . You rather want to know how the line ends, don't you? This excellent rhythm, which often uses ideas and images beyond what you'd expect, is matched by Chin's playful, soft-hued, but always realistic watercolor-and-gouache paintings. Chin is especially adept at portraying light sources, whether they be an early morning glow through kitchen windows, a foggy street through which a school bus creeps, or the blinding golds of autumn sunshine through leaves. A two-page section at the back supplies a bit of the science behind these everyday miracles.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)