SWIM! SWIM!

Title: SWIM! SWIM!

Author- Illustrator -Animator : James Proimos

Published By: Scholastic Press

I don't know how I missed this book but I'm so glad that I found it and added it to my soon to be classroom library. Swim! Swim! is funny and engaging picture book that kids of all ages will enjoy. Our lonely hero Lerch is simply looking for a friend. He asked the pebbles, the sunken diver, and the bubbles from the water filter to be his friend, but they just ignored him. (He even tried talking in bubble, but no response. Just when Lerch thought it was official that nobody liked him, someone popped up that really seemed to like him. The cat. It's OK that the cat thinks his name is "Lunch" instead of Lerch, he could work with that. The exchange between Lerch and the cat was really cute and is bound to have younger readers yelling warnings at the page. Just when it looks like Lerch is about to be eaten, the cat drops him and says "Meet dinner!". It seems our hero has been dropped into a new fish bowl containing Dinah. It's love and friendship at first sight (even the cat says "Awww.") and they swim around happily ever after while holding each others fin.

Proimos' simple but energetic illustrations and exuberant story are wonderful. Plus this is my type of story - a great read aloud that lets you throw in all types of sniffling and assorted dramatics. The text is simple enough that younger readers can read to their family.