SPLISH SPLASH

A set of wonderfully evocative rhymes about water: as steam, as ice, in waves and waterfalls, in oceans and ice cubes. Graham uses simple phrases and images, displaying both a fine ear and a lively imagination, inviting readers to enjoy the sound of the words as well as their sense; ``Snow is made of crystal laces/full of frost and empty spaces/how can stringing holes together/pile up into so much weather?'' Without sacrificing legibility, Scott seamlessly incorporates the text into the design, shaping it into a lawn sprinkler, an icicle, rain, even a crocodile, and proving that illustrations created on a computer need not look cheap; he sticks to a flat, graphic style with large areas of bright single colors, plenty of empty space, and sharp contrasts to give the illusion of depth. An outstanding collaboration between poet and visual artist. (Poetry. 7-10)