Tadpoles by Matt James
One of the great things about picture books is their illustrations. They can range from whimsical to detailed to painterly, and sometimes they are an education unto themselves. Take the work of Anthony Browne, for example; he always manages to put some famous works of art as Easter eggs in his work.
That is the case for this book as well—a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection—because it is undoubtedly made by a painter that wanted to convey all the emotion inherent in the rain. On this particular rainy morning, a father and son share a moment, a future memory, a walk through a field full of freshly formed ponds that are now filled with tadpoles.
There is such a calm atmosphere in the book, even though there is a moment of really strong emotion—when we find out that the father no longer lives with the son and that the kid is upset about it. There is a connection to be made between ephemeral ponds, life changes, and memories, and what surfaces is contentment, acceptance, and calm.
Matt James draws from his own memories as a parent and as a child. He wants to share a moment of peaceful companionship, of exploration, together.
Of course, there is some additional information about frogs at the end, a little dash of scientific facts about their habitats and the amphibian life cycles, but what makes this book special is the art itself. The watercolors and expertly rendered tadpoles are as sleek and wonderful as drops of rain.
Tadpoles is available on May 30, 2023.
Publisher: Neal Porter Books
Publish Date: May 30, 2023
Pages: 40
Type: Hardcover
EAN/UPC: 9780823450053
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