Get Out of My Bath

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 15, 2015

Review

This is an interactive picture book. Ellie the elephant, with rubber ducky in tow, is ready for her bath and with the help of the reader who is called upon to "tilt the book to the left and see what happens next..." she is having fun in the bath. When the reader "tilts the book to the right" oh, no, a crocodile is in the bath. Ellie is not happy and the reader is instructed to say "Get out, Crocodile!" It doesn't work, and a flamingo, a tiger, and a mouse in a floaty ring join the ruckus in the bath. Ellie shouts "Get out of my bath" and then sucks all the water up. When the animals leave, she releases the water and finishes. The readers are then asked if their bath time is next. The digital rendered illustrations present the animals across the two page spread with the bottom half representing the green-blue bathwater, complete with bubbles, in a plastic type surface that adds a slippery texture to that part of the illustration. When the reader is directed by the text to tilt the book, the bathwater line on the next spread appears to have shifted to that side of the tub. The animals show some expression of happy, surprise, and disappointment. Although simple in its story line, the book will be demanded for multiple readings to test out the bath water, if you will, yell at the animals and tell the older reader what will be coming next. Story times will want it for programs about water, activities of daily living, rubber duckies or feelings.

Overall Book Score: good