Electric, sherbet-y colors, uniquely comic characters, and a story line filled with high comedy mark this fabulous picture book by new talent Deb Lucke. Eric Dooley just wonΠ²Πβ’t swim. If sweating in the hot summer sun while everyone else cools off in the pool isnΠ²Πβ’t bad enough, EricΠ²Πβ’s younger sister is having the time of her life. When he sees her dog-paddling right across the middle of the pool, under his sunblock heΠ²Πβ’s positively green with envy. Not to mention sweaty. And irritated. But after the babies in the wading pool give him dirty looks for invading their territory, Eric finds a way to conquer his fears. And just like that he goes from being the boy who wouldnΠ²Πβ’t swim . . . to being the boy who wonΠ²Πβ’t get out of the pool. Not even in October.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2Π²ΠβEric absolutely will not go in the water. Instead, he stays on the pool sidelines, sweltering, with his giraffe float firmly around his waist. When his younger sister takes the plunge, Eric fumes. But rather than showing her that he can do it, too, he pesters her from the safety of the pool deck. Toward summer's end, he finally decides it's time to put his toe in the water, and he goes "from being the boy who wouldn't swim to being the boy who wouldn't get out of the pool"Π²Πβeven after the weather turns. Perfectly bookended with endpapers featuring the lifeguard sitting in his chair at the beginning of the season and then poised in the same position but wearing winter gear at the end, this fear-of-swimming tale is ideal for kids who are afraid to take that first step. While there is no reason given for Eric's change of heart, readers who share his phobia will just be glad he did it. Hot summer yellows and cool watery blues abound in the gouache illustrations, which are filled with action and humor. This tale is just the thing for librarians interested in showcasing summer stories.Π²ΠβJoan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
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Review
"Eric absolutely will not go in the water. Instead, he stays on the pool sidelines, sweltering, with his giraffe float firmly around his waist. When his younger sister takes the plunge, Eric fumes. But rather than showing her that he can do it, too, he pesters her from the safety of the pool deck. Toward summer's end, he finally decides it's time to put his toe in the water, and he goes "from being the boy who wouldn't swim to the boy who wouldn't get out of the pool"-even after the weather turns. Perfectly bookended with endpapers featuring the lifeguard sitting in his chair at the beginning of the season and then poised in the same position but wearing winter gear at the end, this fear-of-swimming tale is ideal for kids who are afraid to take that first step. While there is no reason given for Eric's change of heart, readers who share his phobia will just be glad he did it. Hot summer yellows and cool watery blues abound in the gouache illustrations, which are filled with action and humor. This tale is just the thing for librarians interested in showcasing summer stories."--School Library Journal