Spaghetti Book Club - Book Reviews by Kids for Kids

Stella and her brother Sam were at the beach. Stella got right into the water, but Sam didn't want to because he wasn't sure if the water was safe. Stella knew that the water was safe because she had been there once before Sam was born. Sam was asking lots of questions so he would know he would be safe in the sea and he wouldn't get hurt or anything like that.

Stella was saying all these things to try to get him to come in, but it was scaring him instead. Stella was very excited and used exciting words to make him think "Wow, that's neat" and go into the water. Stella asked Sam to see a sea horse. Sam asked, "Does a sea horse neigh? Does a sea horse gallop?" Stella said, "Yes and you can ride a sea horse bare back". Stella was imagining she was riding a giant, pink sea horse on a wave. Sam wasn't sure if he wanted to go in because he wasn't sure if Stella's words were true.

At the end there was a little twist. Stella said, "Sam will you ever come in?" You?ll be surprised to see if he goes in or not.

Marie-Louise Gay?s illustrations show a lot of details that make it look so real that they kind of make you feel like you're actually at the beach. When Stella finds a sea horse it?s small and then on the next page it?s really big because it?s in Stella?s imagination. Marie-Louise Gay?s illustrations show what Stella is thinking.

The illustrations are really colorful. She uses a lot of light, spring colors like light blue and peach. The only page that?s dark is the one when Stella tells Sam about where starfish come from. The picture is at night because you wouldn?t be able to see the stars if it was during the day. Marie-Louise Gay uses lots of details that you find at the beach like showing starfish, seashells and sea grass. She uses different colors to make the sand and to show the different things in the sand. She makes ripples in the water that really make it look like the water. When Stella is in the water doing the back float she really looks like she?s in the water because her hair is all spread out.

It?s a good book and it has good pictures with a lot of details. The pictures show more details than the words like when Stella is underwater Marie-Louise Gay shows crabs, starfish, sea grass and fish in the sea that she doesn?t describe in the words. There?s a picture of Stella on a sea horse that looks exciting because the illustration shows waves and if it didn?t, it wouldn?t look like the sea horse was moving.

We think you should read this book because Stella uses her imagination. You should really read this book because it?s really interesting to listen to things that were in Stella?s imagination because it would feel neat if it was true.

Other people may want to read the book because some parts can?t really happen, like riding a sea horse bareback.

Lots of people should read it because it reminds us of our first day at the sea.

We think that this is a good book for an older person or child to read to young kids or for kids in second grade or older to read by themselves.