Marlo

PreS-Gr 1—Marlo the dog is dirty, and his owners decide he should have a bath. Marlo doesn't care for baths, but he has a yellow rubber duck to keep him company and a big imagination. The story begins with three pages of brief text and playful line drawings of a lovable pup against a white backdrop. Then an unexpected and colorful wordless adventure starts under the sea. Sweeping deep blue spreads depict Marlo in scuba gear as he encounters schools of fish, coral, squid, and other sea creatures, both big and small. A huge grumpy fish chases him into the mouth of a larger whale. Inside the whale, Marlo comes across a pirate ship of penguins. All is not lost, though, and the whale ejects Marlo from his blowhole. Marlo returns to his bathtub, safe and sound. Young readers will be intrigued by the variety of whimsically portrayed sea life and the way Browne depicts the relative sizes of the creatures and the vastness of the ocean. Those who look closely will be delighted to find a hidden rubber duck in each illustration. There is also a determined crustacean seeking a new shell to call home on most pages.