Wave by Suzy Lee

Title: Wave

Author/Illustrator: Suzy Lee

Reading Level: Ages 2 - 5

Hardcover: 40 pages

Publisher: Chronicle Books

In this beautifully portrayed wordless picture book, Suzy Lee perfectly depicts a child's day at the beach. Followed by a flock of sea gulls, a little girl curiously watches the waves crashing the shore. She walks forwards and backwards as the waves rise and recede. After watching the tantalizing waves for a while, she ventures a little further, first dipping her feet, then playing and finally splashing and dancing in the water. At one point, she grows even bolder taunting the rising waves by sticking her tongue out. Eventually, she runs from it when the waves get bigger and bigger and come chasing after her. It crashes all over her, leaving her stunned. To her astonishment, the crashing waves leave behind some treasures from the sea - seashells, snails and starfish - As she excitedly plays with them, her mother appears signaling her that its time to leave. She bids goodbye to the waves, after an exciting day at the beach.

With simple charcoal and blue-and-white acrylic watercolors, Lee's wondrous illustrations brings out the playful expressions of the child exceptionally well. Standing true to the old adage, 'A picture is worth more than thousand words', this charcoal-and-dust clad girl captures our hearts with her playful antics and whimsical expressions. The brilliant blue waves and the cheerful girl will bring back some wonderful memories to share with your little ones. It just reminds me that you don't need an awful lot of words to tell a story. Words are important, I agree. But, pictures are even more powerful. Here's one book to prove it. 

Many times I have come across this book at the library, but never cast more than a fleeting glance at it. I don't know what came over me the other day. Piqued by curiosity, I finally decided to check it out... And, I am so glad I did! As I flipped through the pages, a wave of emotions engulfed me and it rendered me speechless at the end. When I first introduced it to my daughter, I remember reading (or rather looking!) it more than 5 times, that too in one sitting. It has never happened before with any other book! I love watching my daughter's expressions, as much as the book itself. She leaps in joy as the girl splashes in the water. She grows anxious when the waves come chasing behind her and an absolute shock overcomes her as the waves engulfs the little girl in the book. In particular, she is drawn to the page where the girl mocks at the sea by sticking her tongue out playfully. She loves to copy that expression and asks for that page every time we read it. When it is time to close the book, she squeals "some more!!" A stunning piece of work that will surely call for countless re-readings...

My Rating: 5/5