Splat Swims! Splish, Splash, Splat! by Rob Scotton

GULP! THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY AT ALL," SPLAT SAID.

SEYMOUR SHOOK HIS HEAD.

What could be worse? Splat's mom tells him that he has a play-date with Spike, a classmate of whom the best he can say is that he's a big show-off, calls him names like "Splattie, eats all his fish candy, and breaks all his toys. But Mom has saved the worst news for last:

"OH, I ALMOST FORGOT. YOU BEGIN SWIM LESSONS AT SCHOOL TODAY."

Swim lessons! Splat even hates to take a bath. A whole pool of the wet stuff can't be good!

"WATER IS HORRIBLE!" SAYS SPLAT. IT'S SCARY AND WET AND MAKES ME SOGGY!"

"CAN THIS DAY GET ANY WORSE?"

Grimly Splat, bolstered by his friend Seymour the mouse, goes through his day. At last the dreaded moment arrives. Mrs. Wimpydimple ignores Splat's protests and briskly herds the class along to the school pool.

Plank, already attired in swim fins, shouts "Yippee," and hits the water with a big splash, while Splat cringes. Spike, snorkel and all, crowds to the front of the group, with a bossy "Me, first!" but then stops at the edge and sidles back beside Splat. As the others step gingerly into the pool, Spike hides behind Splat, and mutters

"WATER IS HORRIBLE!"

SPLAT IS CONFUSED.

HE THOUGHT THAT SPIKE WASN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING. BUT SPIKE WAS JUST AS SCARED AS HE WAS. SPLAT FELT SORRY FOR HIM.

But fears shared are fears that can be faced, and Splat and Spike find that together they can brave the waters and are soon racing each other across the pool in Rob Scotton's just published Splish, Splash, Splat! (Splat the Cat) (Harper, 2011) new Splat adventure. Scotton's comic illustrations are just as engaging as ever, and his spot-on portrayal of a first grader's fears and feelings are just as endearing as in his other best-selling Splat the Cat picture books.

And don't forget Scotton's companion series of easy readers, which include Splat the Cat: Good Night, Sleep Tight (I Can Read Book 1) and Splat the Cat: Splat the Cat Sings Flat (I Can Read Book 1) for the emergent reader.