Joone

PreS-Gr 1—A sweet, gentle narrative about a child who is being raised by her grandfather. The text, which celebrates the small things in life that a child might appreciate, reads smoothly and is written with some flair; but with very little plot, it lacks a real hook for a young audience. Joone's solo swim does add some humor and adventure, but it may be hard to explain, within a realistic story, that Grandpa is absent in this scene. The bucolic setting, Joone's home (a yurt on the banks of a small body of water with a tree house in the backyard), and the mood (quiet and loving) are more central to the book than the action. Moon shows promise, not only as a picture-book writer, but as an illustrator as well. The gouache and pencil illustrations are bright, colorful, and full of interesting detail. Rather than a book to read to groups, Joone is best suited for sharing one-on-one.—Maralita L. Freeny, District of Columbia Public Library