Surf’s Up
Written by Kwame Alexander
Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
The sparse text in this delightful picture book partly serves to reinforce the wonderful illustrations. The reader meets two frogs enjoying fantastic weather and surfing conditions at the beach. But first, one friend has to finish the book he’s reading. And the book is anything but boring. But try convincing the other friend of that. The book is about a man searching for a giant whale. “Wowie Kazowie!” Kids will be drawn in by the reading frog’s enthusiasm and his vivid imagination of what the book scenes look like. The other frog learns of another way to spend a day at the beach.
This is a great book for first graders to read independently for increasing literacy skills or for a teacher or parent to read aloud with a group. Reading activities could include learning more about whales and which ones are the largest and most aggressive. Of course, kids can also learn about literature and Moby Dick, about whaling in the nineteenth century, and about why whaling is no longer a common practice.
Title: Surf’s Up- Author: Kwame Alexander
- Illustrator: Daniel Miyares
- Published: NorthSouth, February, 2016
- Reviewer: Sue Poduska
- Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
- Grade Level: PreK to 2
- Genre: Picture book
- ISBN: 978-0-7358-4220-5
