Review by Booklist Review
Is a glass half full or half empty? If readers were to ask Seagull and Crab, they would get both answers. Seagull, perched on a gray rock in the sea, is pleased at the "Blue sky, gentle breeze! Warm sun, cool feet! It's a perfect day." Crab climbs onto Seagull's rock and declares that it is not a perfect day as there is a cloud in the sky. The simple dialogue continues between the optimist and the pessimist, with the text printed close to the speaker, making it easy to follow who's talking. Crab's dismal outlook finally gets to Seagull, who flies off to another rock for a bit of peace and quiet--which doesn't last long once the "rocks" begin to move. Large watercolor illustrations fill the pages with blue, white, orange, and gray. Objects outlined in black stand out in the large attractive paintings and that, along with a short text, creates a simple story perfect for very young listeners. How the two differing personalities come together as friends will please young readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-- An unflappable seagull attempts to enjoy the tranquility of a beautiful day despite interruptions from a pessimistic crab friend. Similar in style to Brannen's Bear Needs Help, this inviting picture book explores how companionship can be the sweetest reward of all. As Seagull basks in the shining sun and cool breeze, Crab can't help but point out the lone cloud in the sky and the barnacles covering the small rock they are sheltering on. Determined to look on the bright side, Seagull leaves Crab for another, quieter rock. After their "rocks" suddenly overturn, a change in perspective allows the friends to discover that spending the day together is what makes it perfect. Brannen's aquatic watercolor palette of cool blues and greens evoke a serene setting. The soft orange and pinks at the book's conclusion reinforce the warmth of the bond the two friends share. VERDICT A timeless tale of embracing friendship among differing points of view. Great for storytime or one-on-one sharing, this humorous title will appeal to both young audiences and adults who can relate to seagull's steadfast optimism under a constant barrage of griping.--Sophie Kenney, Aurora P.L., IL
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Review by Horn Book Review
Full-bleed watercolor illustrations depict a gorgeous day at the sea in bright blues, oranges, and pinks. The seagull looks euphoric: Blue sky, gentle breeze! / Warm sun, cool feet! / Its a perfect day. The gull has not noticed a little crab, who swims up on the seagulls rock to point out the one cloud in the sky. Its not perfect. The gull, refusing to be brought down, declares the cloud pretty. Thus begins an impossible-to-resolve dispute between the two, with the crab persistently calling attention to perceived imperfections until the gull departs in exasperation: Fine! Its not perfect. Im going to find a better rock. Unfortunately, neither rock is what it seems, and suddenly the day turns potentially disastrous for the little crab. The seagull swoops in for the rescue, however, and though the crab will always see things through a more critical lens than the gull, who continues to find the day perfect, the two have come closer to consensus and to each other. Using a variety of perspectives to highlight each new detail that changes viewers understanding of the scene, the attractive art, along with the snappy text, leaves plenty of room for the humor to stand out in this tribute to the ups and downs of a day -- and a friendship. Julie Roach July/August 2020 p.109(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A sea gull finds a flock in an unlikely crustacean. While basking in the sun on a rock in the middle of the ocean, a sea gull remarks, "Blue sky, gentle breeze! Warm sun, cool feet! It's a perfect day." That is, until a nitpicky crab crawls onto the rock and negates the sea gull's optimism. According to the crab, the day is not perfect, as the sky has a cloud in it (yes, just one). The sea gull counters that the cloud is "pretty." But the crab persists with the negativity, next noting the "smelly old boat" in the distance and the barnacles on the slippery rock. "Fine!" the sea gull says, and flies off "to find a better rock"--one without crabs. But when both the old and the new rock--in reality, two whales' heads--rise up out of the ocean, the sea gull's "perfect day" completely sinks. Or does it? Brannen's spare dialogue, accompanied by three gorgeous and completely wordless double-page spreads, makes for lovely opportunities to talk with young readers about the story. The rich watercolor art employs multiple techniques to create textural contrast. The animal figures are simply drawn and outlined with thick, black lines, but their expressive gestures and faces bring them to life. That the sea gull would choose to befriend rather than just eat the annoying crab adds a layer to the story--and indeed the sea gull's bright-eyed personality. A sweet, simple friendship story buoyed by sophisticated art. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
