Although we're still in Winter, my daughter is already beach-dreaming. Today's read follows a boy and his dog, who enjoy surfing...and that sounded fun enough to catch my attention. I'm trying to think if I've ever seen a picture book only about surfing before....hmmmm. Do you know of any?
THE WILD & FREE ADVENTURES OF VELZY & FIN GOING SURFING
by Marlee Mason
Illustrated by Stewart Maxcy
Picture Book
24 pages
ages 4 to 7
Join Velzy and Fin on their wild and free adventure going surfing in tropical paradise! The two best friends take your little surfer along for epic day full of sunshine and shakas, but when Velzy has a wipe out, Fin teaches him the importance of resilience, bravery and having a positive mindset in both surfing and in life. So come along for a epic day out in the waves with Velzy and Fin!
MY TIDBITS
Catching waves is a family affair with splashes and fun and lots of sun.
The entire family is hitting the waves, and Velzy and Fin can't wait to get out on their surfboards, too. The weather is fantastic, the waves are rolling in, and the day is perfect...until Velzy wipes out and goes into the water head-first. Fin, the best dog friend ever, might just have a way to make sure Velzy doesn't lose his courage to try again.
Little surfers are sure to enjoy this one and want to hop into the ocean right along with the two friends. Most of the read takes place on the water and lets the fun atmosphere come across clearly. Even the parents are involved in the activity, which adds a nice touch. Of course, the friendship between Velzy and Fin is golden. Fin, the dog, does touch on a dab of fantasy as he rides the boards and speaks with Velzy, but all of this works very well.
The illustrations are colorful but hold slightly dimmed tones, reminding of the sunny bleaching with pastels. The scenes bring across the emotions well and let the enjoyment of being out on the water radiate from the page. The text is large enough to make for an easy read-aloud. The book is written in rhyme, which flows fine, for the most part.
While the joy of surfing stays front and center, friendship and family aren't far behind. A message about not giving up and trying again rings toward the end to round everything off into a wholesome read.
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