Splish, Splash!

by Sarah Weeks, Ashley Wolff (Illustrator)

Rub-a-dub-dub! Chub the fish loves to scrub in his tub. One day his friends come to call. They want to splish and splash too. Can a tub so small hold them all?

Genres: Animals, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Sarah Weeks has been writing children’s books and songs for the past twenty years. She is a graduate of Hampshire College and NYU and recently became an adjunct faculty member in the prestigious Writing Program at the New School University, in New York City.

Her first YA novel, So B. It, which appeared on the LA Times bestseller list was chosen as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and received the 2004 Parent’s Choice Gold Award. In addition to being an author, Sarah is an accomplished singer/songwriter. She has written for television, stage and screen and a number of her picturebooks include songs which she both writes and sings for the accompanying CD’s. Sarah's titles have sold well over a million copies, including several foreign editions.

Sarah is a tireless promoter, visiting schools throughout the country, serving as author-in-residence and speaking to teachers and librarians at national conferences including IRA, ALA and NCTE. She lives in New York City with her two teenage sons.

Reviews

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

It amazes me how one author, Sarah Weeks, can write in so many different styles. As Simple As It Seems, her middle grade novel, is very introspective, serious, and contemplative, and filled with rich and beautiful description. The Oggie Cooder series, chapter books for slightly younger readers, are humorous, quirky, and cartoonish (in a good way.) And this book, Splish, Splash, written for the very newest of readers, is both easy to read and highly entertaining. She's a very versatile writer, and I find that very impressive!

This book tells the simple tale of a series of animals who all want to use the same bathtub, which belongs to Chub the fish. Each one's approach is accompanied by a question. Is the mouse too short? The snake too thin? But Chub the fish is very accomodating:

Jump in if you wish
says Chub the Fish.

The text rhymes throughout the entire book, introducing and reinforcing sounds such as "ub" "ish" "ash" and "all," which help new readers start to recognize word families. The repetition of the "splash" and "splish" sounds develops a rhythm, and also emphasizes the differences in letter sounds between a short A and a short I.

Since the text is necessarily pretty spare, the illustrations play a major role in the story. Since they provide the context for each animal's question by showing that animal approaching the edge of the tub, each picture gives context that will help the reader sound out and guess at unfamiliar words. They're also really great illustrations. The animal's faces really draw the eye, and I especially liked the colors used to portray the bubbles on the animals' heads.

Splish, Splash would be great to pair with Mrs. Wishy Washy for a bathtub themed unit or story time.

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arely read this book to me. It's a great beginning reader book. The pictures of all the animals trying to squish into the tub together to take a bath is adorable.

[Kiyoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

early reader 2nd grade daily reading assignment

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the willingness to share that this book shows.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early reader. Rhymes, but the pacing is inconsistent. A bunch of animals want to share the bath. Spends a little time on concepts, like big and small, but mostly just silly.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This simple little reader tells the story of a fish and his tub, and all the animals big and small, tall, and skinny, who all squeeze into the tub for a bath. There is plenty of repetition, and the text uses simple words. I would have liked to see something funnier happen at the end--maybe everyone fall out of the tub.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oddly (because the story is so simple) a big with my three year old. Cute pictures.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story in rhyme of a party in the tub. Not x-rated at all.

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 41880 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 1.3 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, RV

[Maggie]

Splish, Splash make room for all of your friends! Chub the fish wants to include all of his friends in the bath tub.

I believe this book should be read by beginning readers, because it encompasses many rhyming words and allows students to have a big imagination. "Am I too short?" "Am I too thin?" "Am I too fat?" "May I come in?" "Jump in if you wish!" says Chub the fish. (pages 16-19)


I would use this book in my classroom to introduce and discuss rhyming words and alliteration.