Little Loon and Papa
PreSchool-Grade 2–An appealing story about paternal guidance and support. Papa is giving Little Loon diving lessons but the youngster is having a hard time learning this new skill. While his father is beneath the water, he escapes. As he swims along the shore, he is startled by a moose, a brown bear, and a tree that has just been felled by a beaver. Frightened, he peeps for his father again and again, but still finds himself alone. Then he hears a loud noise and knows that there is only one way to get past the tree. He squeezes the air out, tucks in his feathers, wiggles his feet, waggles his wings–and dives beneath it. When he pops up again, Papa calls out to him, offers him a treat, and snuggles him under his wing. The staccato text is filled with alliteration and rhythmic sound effects, and the soft, jewel-toned illustrations evoke the splendor of the north woods. A wonderful choice for summer programming when swimming lessons are underway.–Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.