An Adventure at Sea - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 2-- Adventure calls for a young boy who convinces his brother and sister to become his crew on the high seas--if only in a cardboard box . Reminiscent of John Burningham's Come Away from the Water, Shirley (Crowell, 1977), the story unfolds with Harold's dramatic recounting of his interpretation of the action fantastically visualized on the right hand page. This is contrasted by the reality of his brother and sister being unable to appreciate the family dog Henry as a sea monster, the neighbors' cat as a shark, or the ship's crash on the rocks as anything but Harold falling over and breaking the box. They do, however, understand that the ship ahoy is really their mother with her "treasure"--a plate of cookies. Bright contrasting colors set a lively mood for the perceived action, particularly when framed in black to indicate Harold's version of the tale. The toothless bulging-eyed cartoon characters share their sense of fun and play. Action is conveyed by an apparent waving of the arms, especially by Harold, always portrayed in a corner on his side of the book. --Ronald Jobe, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this ebullient picture book, Heller ( Happy Birthday, Moe Dog , The Monster in the Cave ) once again celebrates the role of fantasy in everyday lives, with colors that sparkle and shine. Harold seeks adventure on the high seas, despite the skepticism of his brother and sister ("Set sail?" Penelope scoffs. "Why, that's just an old cardboard box.") With a broom for a mast and his reluctant siblings for crew, he takes an imaginary voyage that grows ever more thrilling as they encounter a sea monster, a treasure ship and a shark before Father summons the sailors to supper. Heller's text perfectly captures the energy and extravagance imaginative children bring to their play. He creates lively visual humor by pairing features of the imagined voyage with the real-life elements that inspired them: opposite a "terrifying creature of the deep" is a comically benign dog. Just as Harold's siblings eventually succumb whole-heartedly to the game, even literal-minded readers will find this high-spirited romp contagious. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.