Yes, Let's
It’s almost impossible not to say “ahhh” at the end of this book about a simple family picnic in the country. The only technology that appears in it is one digital camera; otherwise, it’s lovely stuff like a yo-yo, a deck of cards, a couple books, bathing suits, hiking boots, bug spray, and a packed lunch. A family of six (a mom, a dad, two boys, and two girls) and their dog makes an impromptu picnic and drives into the country. They don hiking boots (the teen girl pouts about handing over her pink ballet flats—one of the many comical touches) and take a walk into the forest. They swim in the river, build a little dam, float a boat made out of twigs and leaves, and then they eat, rest on the bank, read, play cards, and relax. Pretty novel, huh? The gentle rhyming text is simple and approachable (“Let’s share the fins and goggles, look for treasure in the sand”), and the vibrantly shaded cartoon illustrations help carry the reader through this welcome, idyllic journey. Preschool-Grade 2. --Connie Fletcher