One Sun

One Sun

Describes a day at the beach in a series of terse verses (verses made up of two monosyllabic words that rhyme) accompanied by photographs.From Publishers WeeklyIf one picture is worth a thousand words, can two words make a poem? Yes, according to McMillan, whose new offering teams photographs of youngsters cavorting at the seashore with what he calls "terse verse"--two rhyming monosyllabic words, such as "wet pet," "whale pail" and "sand hand." Designed to introduce children to the concept of rhyme, the book's appealingly simple design belies McMillan's customary careful attention to detail--including a balanced racial mix of young models. Although the concept would seem a bit thin for an entire picture book, the skilled writer/photographer pulls it off with elan: neat feat. Ages 4-8.Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalPreS - Grade 3 --McMillan offers a rhyming game set against the background of a sparkling summer day at the beach as an Asian preschooler is featured interacting with boys and girls of different races. He explains his terse verse--two monosyllabic words that sound alike but are not necessarily spelled alike--in a note on the last page, offering it as an introduction to rhyme. Only a few of his combinations lack similar spelling patterns ("one/sun"); others include "tan/man," "sand/hand," and "snail/trail." Contrived poetics aside, the book is attractively designed with the words in extra large white type on the verso, outlined with a strong black line against a sandy gray background. The right-hand pages are vivid, clear, full-color photos dominated by rich blues and sparkling sunlight. There is a strong textural element; readers can practically feel the sand in their shoes. Teachers may enjoy trying out the rhyming game concepts with their students, while everyone else will simply enjoy the pleasure of a perfect sunny day at the seaside. --Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public LibraryCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.