Ice Boy

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 8, 2017

Review

Ice Boy wants more from life than the hope of one day being "chosen." A too-warm drink, a cold compress - these are not the fate he wants. So Ice Boy takes matters into his own adorable mitten-clad hands and sets off on a journey to discover what else is out there. He does all of the things he had been told not to: he feels the sun on his face, he goes to the beach, he lets the waves carry him away. Ice Boy is now...Water Boy. And, of course, after evaporating...Vapor Boy. This is when you realize that Stein has cleverly woven story with science and illustrated the water cycle. Young readers (or any students of physics) will find the spunky little ice cube engaging. And they will cheer when, after becoming Ice Boy once again, he returns home victorious to a beverage where he is reunited with his parents. Of course, he has collected dust and dirt particles from the air so he tastes awful. The three cubes are dumped out onto the grass. What will happen to them? The water cycle begins again.... Stein has a story time winner here - adventure, a chill main character, and exuberant illustrations make this book a great addition to any picture book/science collection.

Overall Book Score: very good