Don't splash Grandpa!

Singsong couplets celebrate pool-time exuberance in this antic picture book from Gonzalez and Srinivasan. As children race to a community pool, simple lines cheer: "Goggles on--/ ready, set!/ It's a pool day./ Let's get wet!" Action-packed, digitally finished illustrations fill pages with feathery splashes while capturing the swimmers' over-the-top hijinks. Meanwhile, alliterative rhymes entreat further boisterousness, with text emphasizing onomatopoeia ("Hit the water,/ SPLAT-A-SPLOOSH!/ To the ladder,/ SWIM AND SWOOSH!") alongside the title's refrain. As the children's exploits grow in scale--their theatrical expressions conveying outsize glee--near-misses involving Grandpa provide comedic tension until the inevitable results in a surprising reveal. With a lively energy, the creative team entertainingly capture poolside chaos. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)

Children try to avoid bugging Grandpa on a trip to the community pool one afternoon. Accompanied by the titular elder, a group of six children bring their water toys and swim gear for a day of aquatic fun. But there's one important rule to remember: "Don't splash Grandpa!" Gonzalez's bubbly, rhyming, alliterative text describes the kids' activities as they "grab a toy" ("one that SQUIRTS! Super STREAMS...or tiny SPURTS!"), do cannonballs, and "dip and dunk / for diving sticks!" Their play gets more exuberant, but the repeated refrain continues: "Splitter splatter, / skim and skip. / Fling with extra zing and ZIP-- / but please watch out for Grandpa!" Through it all, the elder sits resting in his chair beside the pool. Will the youngsters adhere to the rule, or will Grandpa get soaked…and what will happen if he does? Bursting with color and movement, Srinivasan's illustrations depict a diverse community; Grandpa is pale-skinned, while the children and the other poolgoers vary in skin tone. Energetic language matches the artwork beat for beat, immersing readers in the thrills of a gently mischievous summer day; little ones will eagerly call out the titular refrain each time--and giggle with glee at the satisfying twist that concludes the tale. Splashy storytime fun.(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.