Review: Bubble Kisses by Vanessa Williams

BUBBLE KISSES

by Vanessa Williams

Illustrated by Tara Nicole Whitaker

Sterling Children's Books

Picture Book/Song

32 pages

ages 3 to 7

From singer, actress, and dancer Vanessa Williams comes a sweet, sparkling story about a young girl whose beloved pet fish has wonderful, magical powers.

She gives me bubble kisses, bubble kisses as she swims by in the water.
She never misses with her bubble kisses. And I’m so glad I got her.

A young girl adores her goldfish, Sal. But Sal is no ordinary pet: while she can’t fetch a ball or curl up on a lap, she can give bubble kisses that transform the girl into a mermaid and transport her to a world of underwater adventures. There, beneath the sea, they play, sing, and dance with other mermaids. The catchy, breezy, rhymed tale is perfect for bedtime, and the book includes a CD plus a link to a digital download. 

     

MY TIDBITS

Light-hearted and packed with energy and love, this is a fun book to use as a sing-a-long or flip through and simply enjoy.

A little girl loves her pet goldfish, Sal, and celebrates every moment. But then, Sal is a special fish. Every time she kisses the little girl, they are transferred to an underwater world full of lovely mermaids. And what fun it is!

The illustrations in these pages are well done and allow the girl, her goldfish and the undersea world to come to life on the paper. Young listeners will enjoy the happiness and colors, while they flip through and see all the excitement the girl experiences.

The story itself is simple and holds tons of imagination and good vibes. It's simply an entertaining read, which celebrates the love for a pet and fantasy. The text is fine. Nothing special, but then nothing bad, either. But that's also not the purpose of this book. The book holds a CD (and for those who would rather listen underway, a code for download/streaming fun) with the song, which the book is written for. It's a sing-a-long with pictures and fun, which can accompany the music, be sung to without, or simply enjoyed as it is. The song is quite up-beat and easy for kids to join in on. The text might be complicated at first for younger ones, but it won't take long for them to know every word.

It's a lovely combination, which mixes music, visuals, and reading. So, I'm giving this one a thumbs up and am sure kids will enjoy it.