 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Bernard's Bath
- By Joan Elizabeth Goodman
- Genre: Picture Book
Common Sense Media says
Bedtime read is great for reluctant bathers.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that beautiful illustrations show regal elephants. This simple, fun story is written in accessible prose.
What's the story?
Bernard's "No bath" mantra is all too familiar to preschoolers and parents. Armed with boats, crayons, ducks, and bubbles, however, fun-loving Mama, Papa, and Grandma finally change this reluctant baby elephant's mind, until he's pleading to make his own splash. Delightful illustrations gracefully show Bernard's transformation from bath resister to a positively eager bather.
Is it any good?
This is a good bedtime read: Warm, friendly family members and an easy-to-relate-to subject draw kids into the story. Joan Elizabeth Goodman's text is simple, as Mama, Papa, and Grandma make the transition from pleading pachyderms to ebullient elephants as they splash in the tub. One 5-year-old especially liked the author's description of "pink syrup" that turned into "mountains of bubbles."
Dominic Catalano's talent with pastels is apparent when Bernard sees the expressions on the faces of his three elephant elders transform from giddiness to guilt, but it's Bernard's eagerness to finally get in the tub, and his exuberant splash, that readers will enjoy the most. And therein lies the fun-filled lesson: Try something--you just might like it!
What families can talk about
Families can talk about learning to like something. Why is Bernard so reluctant? Have you ever discovered you enjoyed something you thought you wouldn't like? How did you change your mind?
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| Author: | Joan Elizabeth Goodman |
| Illustrator: | Dominic Catalano |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Picture Book |
| Publisher: | Boyds Mills Press |
| Publication date: | January 1, 2000 |
| Number of pages: | 28 |
| Paperback price: | $7.95 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
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