Good Morning Sam (Stella and Sam)
PreSchool-This book perfectly balances a preschooler's desire to get dressed all by himself with his need for help. Big sister Stella, with her flaming orange hair and skinny limbs, is the ever-patient helper. She hurries young Sam along while still giving him the space he needs to progress from underwear and shirt to socks and shoes. They play hide-and-seek games, "Sam, are you in there?" and find the lost sock and shoes, with their sidekick dog, all pudgy and round, the thieving culprit every time. Finally, when Sam proudly declares, "I'm ready! And I did it all by myself!" readers will delight both in his exaggerated claim and the fact that he has forgotten his pants. When the two siblings finally exit the house, this punch line is extended as Stella, who has been distracted by her responsibilities, has neglected to get dressed altogether. Gay excels at creating a true-to-life glimpse at one small segment of a young child's day. The whole presentation is understated from the minimal text full of subtle repetition and mundane poignancy to the diminished size of the book itself with square pages and lots of white space. Soft washed watercolors, which are expertly defined by a flowing touch of pencil, extend the playful action. They create sweet, enduring characters who are bound to strike a familiar chord with readers.Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MICopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.