``It was a hot summer day,/ the air crackling with heat''-Strider the dog lies in the sun, Jordie sits motionless on the swing, and Pete and Sara read and color. When Jordie brings out the hose everyone leaps with gusto into the cool spray, happy to escape the heat for even a moment. Then a real storm comes, and by the end of the thunder, lightning and rain Jordie is wishing for the sun again. In one of her more workmanlike efforts, Yolen (Good Griselle; The Wild Hunt, reviewed below) focuses on the listless, languid feel of a day in the baking sun and the surprise of a sudden downpour; the target audience is likelier to be much younger than that suggested by the publisher. First-time illustrator Pugh's incandescent oils favor strong, sometimes harsh colors which shimmer with heat, while her thick, quick brushstrokes suggest the heaviness of the summer air. Ages 6-9. (May)
One can almost feel the heat radiate from the Gauguin-like colors of the surreal paintings that represent a hot afternoon in a young boy's summer. The rich prose expresses the boy's keen sense of observation and sensory experiences as he moves through a stifling summer day in the backyard with his brother, sister, and dog Strider. While trying to keep cool by turning on the hose and drinking lemonade, a storm suddenly arises sending them scampering indoors. The continuous rain cools the suffocating heat, but not the young boy's desire to return outdoors to revel in the hot sunshine.
K-Gr 3-When Yolen uses words to paint a scene, readers can hear, feel, taste, and see the action. Here she is totally in control of her craft as she re-creates a hot, lazy summer afternoon. Three children pass the time reading and coloring, until one of them gets a hose. He turns it on and holds back the flow until it explodes with a pop. Then they romp in the water, cooling off until they are surprised by a storm; the rain sends them scurrying inside. Pugh's full-and double-page paintings use strong Fauvist colors to capture the intensity of the heat. A vivid red squirrel taunts the youngsters' dog, and the hose uncurls on an orange and pink ground. The pictures lack the sharp detail of Yolen's words, but evoke universal experience and feeling. Like the tart taste of cool lemonade on a sultry day, this book is a special pleasure.-Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library
