Hi! This is Rachel Malay, director at the Port Library in Beloit. For the next six weeks I’ll be reviewing some new picture books in the library’s children’s section. These are great bedtime books, quiet time books, or anytime books for parents, grandparents, older siblings, or other loved ones to enjoy with younger kids, or on their own!
Today’s review is of a picture book without words. You might think that this makes reading out loud to children impossible, but wordless picture books can encourage imagination and engagement with children, and lessen the stress for adults who aren’t so confident in their own reading-aloud abilities. Out of the Blue by Alison Jay beautifully paints a story of life on the seashore for a lighthouse keeper and his young son. The paintings are bright, clear, and full of details. A crackle finish over each page gives the storybook the look of old paintings on wood. The little boy meets another young girl on the beach one sunny morning and the two spend the afternoon exploring the beach, finding shells, rocks, and a fish misplaced in a tide pool. Just as the small fish is returned to the ocean, a dark storm brews up and everyone scurries home for the night. In the morning, something unusual has washed up on shore! A few pages in the back with text about life at the beach can help us local landlocked people explain the ocean and seaside life to our younger readers. If you find you like wordless picture books, come in and find a few more in our storybook collection by David Weisner.
You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”
Today’s review is of a picture book without words. You might think that this makes reading out loud to children impossible, but wordless picture books can encourage imagination and engagement with children, and lessen the stress for adults who aren’t so confident in their own reading-aloud abilities. Out of the Blue by Alison Jay beautifully paints a story of life on the seashore for a lighthouse keeper and his young son. The paintings are bright, clear, and full of details. A crackle finish over each page gives the storybook the look of old paintings on wood. The little boy meets another young girl on the beach one sunny morning and the two spend the afternoon exploring the beach, finding shells, rocks, and a fish misplaced in a tide pool. Just as the small fish is returned to the ocean, a dark storm brews up and everyone scurries home for the night. In the morning, something unusual has washed up on shore! A few pages in the back with text about life at the beach can help us local landlocked people explain the ocean and seaside life to our younger readers. If you find you like wordless picture books, come in and find a few more in our storybook collection by David Weisner.
You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”
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