The Seesaw and Good-bye, Fish written by Judith Koppens and illustrated by Eline van Lindenhuizen are books featuring the animals from Animal Square.
In The Seesaw, Giraffe wants to play on the seesaw at the playground, but Mouse doesn’t weigh enough; neither does Monkey or Dog. What will Giraffe and his friends do?
The Seesaw is a sweet way to teach children about cooperation and problem solving. It also shows how people can see things a different way. Mouse, Monkey, and Dog think Giraffe is too heavy, but Giraffe feels the issue is that they are all too light. It’s only when they all work together that they can have fun at the playground.
Good-bye, Fish deals with the loss of a pet. Kitty finds Fish in his bowl lying on his back. No matter what she or Dog do, Fish won’t wake up. Giraffe comes by and helps them to understand that Fish has died. Together they decide to bury Fish and make sure they can remember him.
The loss of a pet is never easy. This summer, our daughter’s hermit crab died after only three weeks. She was distraught over it, and we buried him in the backyard alongside our cat that we had buried last year. It definitely helped her to say good-bye.
Both The Seesaw and Good-bye, Fish are sweet stories that children can learn from. The inside front cover shows all the animals from Animal Square introducing themselves and mentions their traits or personalities, Kitty is shy and Giraffe thinks before he speaks. The series also includes a Rabbit, which we haven’t seen yet. The artwork is calm and soothing, just like the stories are soft and subtle.
I look forward to more from this author and illustrator team.
Ratings: 
The Seesaw
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: The Animal Square
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (July 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605371521
ISBN-13: 978-1605371528
Good-bye, Fish
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: The Animal Square
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Clavis Publishing (July 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160537153X
ISBN-13: 978-1605371535
I received copies of these books from the publisher. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.
