Puddle

by Richard Jackson, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)

Overview

A surprising, universal, and gorgeously illustrated story about self-acceptance, love, friendship, and the joy of embracing different perspectives, this beautiful picture book by acclaimed author Richard Jackson and two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka presents a puddle with a distinct point of view.

Puddle sits despondently in the playground, observing the world around her as she is dimpled by rain, splashed by shoes, piddled on by a poodle, bounced by a basketball, and stirred up by an inquisitive seagull. But when the sun makes a sudden appearance, Puddle meets an admiring new friend who lifts her spirits and makes her feel loved.

Richard Jackson’s playful text shines with rhythm, repetition, and surprising turns of phrase, and Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka’s luminous paintings achieve the impossible—oh, sweet Puddle!

A memorable story of friendship, love, and changing your point of view.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062651952
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/26/2019
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Richard Jackson is an editor and author. He says: “Akaraka is a word in the Igbo language; a meaningful word to the Igbo-speaking people of southwestern Nigeria. It refers to marks on a person’s hand that spell out that person’s fate or destiny. At the time she  used it, in 1997, my granddaughter, Kelsey Albert, then three years old, couldn’t have realized this. She liked the sound, as do I for this story, in which my role is played by her father. I am now a writer, not a raker. I’ve published seven books for young people, among them This Beautiful Day, illustrated by Suzy Lee, and In Plain Sight, which was illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and awarded a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration.”

Chris Raschka is the creator of many distinguished and award-winning books for children. He has received two Caldecott Medals—one for The Hello, Goodbye Window, written by Norton Juster, and one for his own A Ball for Daisy. He also received a Caldecott Honor for Yo! Yes? Chris Raschka was the US nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2012 and 2016 and has been awarded a New York Times Best Illustrated Book citation five times. He lives in New York City with his family.

Editorial Reviews

11/26/2018
In quirky verse with splashes of wordplay, Jackson (A Kiss for Akaraka) gives voice to the emotional life of a sensitive puddle. It’s deeper than the puddles around it (“It’s no fun/ being the deep one”), and, as the thoughtful often are, it’s self-conscious. A seagull lands in it, a sneaker stomps through it, and—worst of all—a poodle makes a pit stop. “ ‘No piddle,’ Puddle cries. ‘No, NO!’ ” But it’s too late. “Did they see,/ all the others?” it agonizes. Then something most unexpected happens, a miraculous something that makes schoolchildren on their way home stop and gaze with amazement at the puddle’s surface—one even offers the puddle a gesture of love. With bold, free strokes of watercolor and gouache, Raschka (New Shoes) paints life at puddle level, observing its surface splashed by raindrops, disturbed by pedestrians, and illuminated by what’s above it. Some objects are really in the water, while others are just reflections. Stories about worried children amid daily ordeals abound. Jackson finds a new way to say that anxiety isn’t fixed by worrying; instead, sometimes it changes into joy all on its own Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Greenburger Assoc. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Complex and thoughtful. . . .Masterful watercolor and gouache illustrations. . .are enhanced by an effective book design and creative use of fonts. Vibrant, unusual, and beautiful, this deep Puddle ‘is, indeed, a sight to see.’” — ALA Booklist (starred review)

“A self-conscious puddle. . .finds purpose as she interacts with her environment and reflects the world’s beauty while finding her own. . . .Expressionistic paintings, done in watercolor with gouache, play like music. . . .Luminous and lovely, with colors to fill the soul.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In quirky verse with splashes of wordplay, Jackson gives voice to the emotional life of a sensitive puddle. . . .Raschka paints life at puddle level, observing its surface splashed by raindrops, disturbed by pedestrians, and illuminated by what’s above it. . . .Jackson finds a new way to say that anxiety isn’t fixed by worrying; instead, sometimes it changes into joy all on its own.” — Publishers Weekly

“The playfully lyrical text is enjoyably quirky with its hints of rhyme and musical repetitions. . . .Raschka’s watercolor and gouache art suffuses the pages with soft, blurred color that contrasts with the more solid figures of animals and kids.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Jackson’s lively and poetic text and Raschka’s humor-filled paintings help children grasp the idea of empathy and perspective: even a puddle can have its own point of view.” — The Horn Book

“Raschka’s signature nearly abstract gouache and watercolor illustrations transition from gray-blue to a slowly brightening wash of colors as the puddle transforms from despondent to elated, matching the tone of Jackson’s jaunty rhyming text. A winsome and uplifting tale of an unusual protagonist.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Complex and thoughtful. . . .Masterful watercolor and gouache illustrations. . .are enhanced by an effective book design and creative use of fonts. Vibrant, unusual, and beautiful, this deep Puddle ‘is, indeed, a sight to see.’

ALA Booklist (starred review)

The playfully lyrical text is enjoyably quirky with its hints of rhyme and musical repetitions. . . .Raschka’s watercolor and gouache art suffuses the pages with soft, blurred color that contrasts with the more solid figures of animals and kids.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Jackson’s lively and poetic text and Raschka’s humor-filled paintings help children grasp the idea of empathy and perspective: even a puddle can have its own point of view.

The Horn Book

The playfully lyrical text is enjoyably quirky with its hints of rhyme and musical repetitions. . . .Raschka’s watercolor and gouache art suffuses the pages with soft, blurred color that contrasts with the more solid figures of animals and kids.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

02/01/2019

PreS-Gr 1—A discontented playground puddle bemoans being too deep, comparing herself to other more shallow puddles. She forgets all her woes when after the rain ends, the sun appears, and her fellow puddles dry up. Surrounded by school children, she reflects a rainbow and gets a virtual hug from a young girl. Raschka's signature nearly abstract gouache and watercolor illustrations transition from gray-blue to a slowly brightening wash of colors as the puddle transforms from despondent to elated, matching the tone of Jackson's jaunty rhyming text. VERDICT A winsome and uplifting tale of an unusual protagonist for most picture book shelves.—Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University

School Library Journal

★ 2018-12-16

A self-conscious puddle experiences growth, is used and fouled, and finds purpose as she interacts with her environment and reflects the world's beauty while finding her own.

As rain pools on the ground, a personified puddle worries she's becoming a "pudge" compared to her siblings. Blue-grays mingle to create a melancholy mood until a sea gull descends to play in her waters. Soon sneakers, a ball, and—to Puddle's alarm—a poodle and its piddle disgrace the poor puddle. But sudden sunshine dries up the shallow pools that are her siblings, and golden hues softly glow around and from the solitary puddle. A bell rings and children stop, dazzled by the sky, the puddle, and the rainbow reflected in each. The reach of a child toward that radiance makes all the humiliations of the day melt away; to the puddle the reach is everything. Expressionistic paintings, done in watercolor with gouache, play like music. Propelled by Jackson's rhythmic read-aloud text, the abstract artwork reveals the changing inner and outer workings of the puddle, moving from dark to light and doubt to love. With his willingness to experiment and the earnestness with which he applies each stroke of his brush, Raschka perfectly captures a child's wonder and excitement in the world.

Luminous and lovely, with colors to fill the soul. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews