Water Can Be . . . (Millbrook Picture Books)
PreS-Gr 2—This picture book about water, written in verse, lets young readers quench their thirst for rhyme and information at the same time. The book opens with "Water is water-it's puddle, pond, sea," setting the stage for rhyming pairs that describe the many different forms that water can take, such as "valley cloaker" (fog), "bruise shrinker" (ice), and "snowman former" (snow). The text is perfect for creating mental images and showing children what the words look like. The traditional and digital media used for the illustrations create a delicate tone for the book. Each page has an ethereal beauty that brings the text to life. Readers will experience the transformational effects of water on people and the environment and will see how water is home to so many creatures. The back matter explains in greater detail what each of the rhyming pairs means and provides more content about water in general. Fans of A Leaf Can Be (Millbrook, 2012) by the same author will delight in this offering.—Nancy Jo Lambert, Ruth Borchardt Elementary, Plano, TX