Lemonade Sun: And Other Summer Poems

With this book of poems you can smack your lips with the tangy sweetness of taste, sound, touch and remember. JELLYFISH touches my memory with clear pictures of a child at the shore. These verses remind me of Jane Yolen's COLOR ME A RHYME, and my own ANIMAL ACADEMY, with its playfulness and spontaneity.

Jan Spivey Gilchrist's impressionistic illustrations capture the imagery of poet Rebecca Kai Dotlich's carefree summer. You'll lick your lips after drinking in LEMONADE, hold your ears as FIREWORKS explodes off the page and you'll feel your toes wiggle as BAREFOOT tickles your feet in the new grass. What a refreshing way to wind down a funfilled summer day!

Lemonade Sun reminded me of my own childhood; I too, grew up in the fifties. It brought back so many memories. I could almost smell the fireflies that we collected in glass jars, and the thrill of being able to do double-dutch longer than the other kids. The lemonade stands, bubbles, dragonflies and jacks are all dear to me. It certainly is a book that children will love, and adults will cherish. My personal favorite is Summer Swinging. The illustrations are incredible! It is truly a fun book for all ages.

As the summer days get busier and my 21 month old daughter pushes her energies, I welcome the moment that we reach for this lovely book and she soaks deeper into my arms. This is the perfect unwinding book as it takes you on a dancing journey through summer days and then retreats you into the night. The creative use of words in poetry will grasp your attention and allow you some freedom of expression to excite and/or relax your little one. The illustrations are a beautiful and refreshing addition which alone allows for some parental freedom as well. You'll see what I mean when you get started with your own Lemonade Sun. My daughter is captivated for the entire book. This one always works for bedtime at our house. I am now a true fan of Rebecca Kai Dotlich and look forward to her next work.