DROP

An anthropomorphic drop of water takes readers through this basic explanation of Earth’s water cycle.

The initial pages predict the perfectly chosen medium of watercolor art throughout. The verso is fully packed with attractive, wavy lines of blue that contain random blotches of the same hue. The white recto shows the same small, round splash of blue shown on the cover, with dots for eyes, a simple smile, and spindly limbs. The main text reads, “This is water.” Black ink lettering nearer to the water droplet allow the droplet a comment: “Hi! I’m Drop!” The next set of pages uses the figure 4,500,000,000 as well as the spelled-out words for the number to show the probable age, in years, of water on the planet. Benign cartoon dinosaurs in upbeat colors add emphasis. Careful design throughout shows all forms of water storage—and release—on Earth. When Drop is warmed by the sun, “she gets all warm and wiggly.” She is invisible for a while, after which some friends join her so they can create clouds and, finally, precipitation—a word that, along with other appropriate terms—such as evaporation and sublimation—receives explanation in charts on the front and rear endpapers. Anthropomorphizing water droplets, especially with cutesy art, will turn off some readers. However, those undeterred will enjoy humorous, sophisticated wordplay while absorbing science. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 20.8% of actual size.) (Editor’s note: This review has been revised following the publisher’s provision of additional content missing from original submission.)

Splashy and original.