Kid Konnection: Pool

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you an adorable picture book that has received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.

Summary: What happens when two shy children meet at a very crowded pool? Dive in to find out! Deceptively simple, this masterful book tells a story of quiet moments and surprising encounters, and reminds us that friendship and imagination have no bounds. -- Chronicle

I wish I could remember where I first saw the new picture book POOL by JiHyeon Lee. I'm pretty sure it was a magazine, but besides that, I'm clueless. The article mentioned that this was a must-see summer book, and I was fortunate enough to already have a copy sitting on my shelves.

I have to admit that I found the cover of POOL to be intriguing, and I was even more impressed after I began flipping through the pages. POOL is a beautifully illustrated book (with no words) about a very crowded swimming pool and the beginning of a friendship. This picture book is both simple and exquisite, and I absolutely loved it!

The story begins when a young boy is visiting a crowded swimming pool. He is reluctant to get it but decides to take the plunge. He swims under the crowd and discovers a young girl in the same boat (not really a boat, but you get the idea!) Together, they explore the pool and their imaginations take them to an even bigger body of water.

The illustrations in POOL are just gorgeous! I love simplicity of them and also how much they drew me in. I also loved how the illustrator used color in just the right places.

POOL is a beautiful book in term of its illustrations but also because it shows the beauty of a new friendship. I have to admit that I was surprised how a book with no words could touch my heart like it did. I think the power of the message is what makes this book especially poignant. That you need to dive in to experience both friendship and joy!

Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!