Published by NorthSouth Books

Summary:  Dad thinks it’s a great day for watching futbol, but his daughter has another idea, to take a hike up the mountain.  They fill backpacks with snacks, water, and a camera and head out.  At first, she’s the energetic one, scrambling up rocks, swinging from a vine, and encouraging her father, but as the day goes on, their roles are reversed.  As they approach the summit, she climbs onto his back, and finally they make it to the top, where an amazing vista awaits them.  The last page shows them both swinging from a vine, watched by a group of animals that the reader is invited to go back and find in the illustrations.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  The team that brought you The Field has produced another winning story about a fun day in what I am guessing is St. Lucia, the setting for The Field.  The brief text is all dialog between the girl and her dad, sprinkled with Creole words.  The brilliant illustrations that capture the flora and fauna of the hike should be considered for some sort of award recognition.

Cons:  There was no back matter explaining the setting of the story, and, although the words were translated in the text, a Creole glossary would have been nice.

April 12, 2022 at 02:54PM Janet Dawson