TUCK ME IN!

Pyle, creator of the webcomic Strange Planet, explains the tides using an inspired metaphor—the moon as a beleaguered mom attempting to pacify two fussy tots.

When a chilly beach whinges, motherly Moon draws water right up to its chin. But that gentle act pulls the ocean away from the beach on the other side of the globe! Back and forth the water goes until Moon explains that she can’t split the sea to cover both: The fish need water, too! Taking turns is the answer, but both beaches want to go first. So Moon builds a sand castle on the damp exposed shore of the first beach; the youngsters are enchanted, but Moon notes that they can’t play in the sand if they’re covered by the sea. The little ones are now eager to take turns. Soon all the beaches on Earth claim this ingenious solution. From then on, the T.I.D.E. (“Tuck-Ins Divided Evenly”) will turn. A final spread expands on the science, discussing the roles of the sun and gravity. Pyle’s unlined cartoons are utterly inviting in their simplicity; though his characters are anthropomorphized, with just a few strokes for eyes, mouths, and arms, he readily conveys an exhausted mama’s frustration and the toddlers’ endless capacity for squabbling. Meanwhile, the astronomy comes alive beautifully, providing a clear and uniquely creative portrait of the tidal sloshing of Earth’s watery blanket.

A masterly combination of fantasy and science to tuck in to every bookcase.