#281 of 1001 · May 8, 2021

There’s a delicate joy that winds through The Pattaconk Brook, James Stevenson’s loving ode to nature and friendship. While transcribing the sounds of the rushing stream, Sidney the frog meets Sherry the snail. Curious to hear the sounds the water might make farther downstream, the two ride a branch downstream to where the water flows into the sea, the frog carrying the snail under one arm. They experience new sights, new sounds, new smells, as they explore the unfamiliar environment of the seashore. Sidney’s curiosity is satisfied, and he wishes to return upstream; Sherry elects to remain near the ocean where gastropods gather. The two bid a solemn goodbye and part ways. Stevenson constructs blank verse in amphibrachic tetrameter, omitting the final syllable of every other line for a decisive downbeat, and revels in playful onomatopoeia for the brook sounds (“thub cada bup”, “we dee oh picka”, “ooba du globum”). His trademark loose line drawings in black pen, filled in with watercolor paints, lend a gentle energy to the emotional arc of the story. #brook #frog #snail #sound #sounds #sea #ocean #beach #shore #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks