Splish, Splat!

by Alexis Domney, Alice Crawford (Illustrator)

Colin's mom has hired Heather and Molly to paint his room. They are deaf, and chat with their hands using sign while they paint Colin’s room, leading to a delightful speckled effect on the walls.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction

24 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2011

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that introduces small children to sign language.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy)]

I realize that the author and the illustrator are both deaf and for that I applaud this book. My concern is if the two women painters in the book are suppose to be professional painters they would have understood the importance of not communicating (signing) with brushes in hand while working. What might be taken for a joke or a fun story if telling it to someone for entertainment, when transferred to print for a storybook may result in people wondering if deaf individuals would possible be incompetent as painters.

[Alissa Gazaryants · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are phenomenal and I took the time to look at the pages because of how abstract they were with the collages. The book also includes some simple hand signs at the very end that children can pick up on. Plot wise it is quite unrealistic which was one of the big downsides to the book as the two professional deaf painters and up splattering paint on the walls due to using ASL while holding a wet paintbrush. I guess the book would be a nice book to add for children to read for fun, but educating children on ASL and disabilities it wouldn't be a great book to introduce the topic to.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

When it's time to paint Colin's bedroom walls, his mother hires two painters and tells them to use blue and white paint. While they are working, the two painters begin talking to themselves, using sign language since they are Deaf. They end up creating an usual white-speckled effect on the blue walls, which upsets Colin's mother but pleases him because the room now seems friendlier. Backmatter includes American Sign Language signs used in the story and fingerspelling alphabet signs. I liked the collage illustrations that consist of paper, fabric, catalogues, and photos, but the story didn't really work for me. I can't seeing professional painters getting that distracted from their work by their conversation.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like the idea but the story doesn't work for me.

[Mary Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Deaf painters splatter paint while talking in ASL.

[Donalyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book created by a deaf author and illustrator, but the story fell flat for me.