The Deep Deep Puddle

by Mary Jessie Parker, Deborah Zemke (Illustrations)

Young puddle jumpers will delight in this silly Seuss-like fantasy about a puddle that keeps on growing. How deep can it get? So deep that soon enough, glub glub glub , the entire city sinks out of sight, only to reappear later with everything in disarray. This ingenious urban counting tale will engage young ones learning their numbers, as well as older readers who will enjoy the overlying story and the breezy artwork.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting, Childrens, Number, Storytime, Animals, Mathematics

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18, 2013

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an excessive rain creates a large puddle, items in numerical order begin falling in. After someone remedies the situation, it becomes a reverse counting game. Neo still wonders how so much water only pooled in that one spot!

[Becket · Rating 2 out of 5]

The busy artwork and the counting up and then down are lots of fun, but the central idea--is a bit odd. Most kids probably won't care, but hyper-logical kids who like to question everything might wonder how the heck all these animals and people can be underwater for so long without drowning.

[Villain E · Rating 2 out of 5]

A counting book without numerals. The numbers are only spelled out. Immediate deduction of stars.

A bunch of people and things fall into a puddle, deep enough for them all to fit, but they don't drown. Eventually, the puddle is drained and they all get out. The numbers count up to twelve, then count back down again as they all leave.

[Bethany Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

My three year old loves puddles ( Thanks Peppa Pig), So I figured she would enjoy this book. It was a cute, fun read and really kept her attention. i thought the counting up and down aspect of it made it a good book for children who are learning to count. Also thought the way the story counted back down and linked all the parts together was pretty creative. Would def read to my child again.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a rainstorm dumps enough rain that a deep, deep puddle forms on a street corner, a numbered list of things fall in. Then, when they manage to drain the puddle, we count back down as those things come out of the puddle again. Although a bit bizarre, this could make a fun group read aloud.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Children's Book that I read to my twin boys. This book was funny and made my boys laugh. I think the numbers should be spelled out and just the number too. I also found parts of this book just weird.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book with a circular mechanic, great onamonapias in the book.

[Kelsey Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute counting book both forwards and backwards. Great book for prediction.

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not your average counting book.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny counting book for preK-1st grade. Increasingly larger things in greater numbers fall into a puddle in NYC. After they are freed the countdown begins. Very fun.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have given it three stars were it not for the shaking dog at the end who created another deep, deep puddle. Cute ending. Great for counting.

[Tiffany May Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story, with an emphasis on counting! I’d say it better for the 3-5 ages.

[Emily Carlyn]

This is strange - all the characters fall into the deep, deep puddle, and they are okay? I felt a little cautious reading it to one group of school aged kids.

[Ms. Madalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, just too long for storytime.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Read aloud by himself at 4yo, missed two words, ‘tourist’ and ‘pigeon’.)

[Amy Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was on the fence about this one until the very end. That clinched it and tipped my review from three to four stars! It's a fun surprise. It's got some counting and some repetition and some fun sounds, so I think the young ones will respond well to it. The illustrations--gouache on Fabriano Artistico paper--are bright, and there's lots to look at. I'm not particularly drawn to them, but they're not bad.

Also, there are robbers, which, in my experience, children are terrified of,

*Spoiler alert*

but don't worry because they get arrested in the end.

[Jennifer Binns]

The counting book, The Deep, Deep Puddle reviews numbers 1-10 by counting the number of animals, people and cars that fall into a deep puddle. Eventually, because of the constant increase of people in the puddle, it ends up more like a lake. Then the people left outside of the puddle come up with a solution to drain the puddle through long hoses. Thus, begins the counting backwards from 10 to 1. I thought this was unique and interesting way to present a counting book but also have a story associated to it.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a unique counting book for young children, as there is a puddle in the street into which everything disappears. Unlike most counting books, the numbers go up to 12 and then count their way back down. At the end of the book, the puddle disappears and reappears again when a dog shakes the water out of its fur. Unfortunately, the book fell flat in its unrealistic nature instead of being enhanced by it.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story in a setting about people and objects falling into a sudden puddle after a long night of rain. Great sequence and sync using the numbers and counting theme. The ending of the story was particulary humorous to the audience of kids and adults during preschool storytime. Great book to use for an activity afterwards with a storytime group.

[Cori Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The deep deep puddle is a new book that would be a great story for younger elementary students. The illustrations in this book were awesome and make it very appealing. This is a story about a town that got a lot of rain and pretty much flooded the town. The story tells the adventures they go through.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Preschool-Kindergarten
Season: Spring, Fall

A cumulative counting tale about a deep, deep puddle that sucks in anything that comes near it. Don't worry, it's not that scary. I enjoyed how the things that were counted at the beginning had some correlation to each other in the end.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

kids will probably have fun counting the people/animals/things that get swallowed up by the deep deep puddle and then spit out again. I thought it was just ok. The illustrations are not in a style I enjoy, but there are fun sounds throughout the book.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fair book, with run of the mill art work. As a counting picture book it deserves three stars, maybe four, but plot wise, didn't hold the interest of a five and seven year old. Not a waste of time to read, it's just a reading for a younger audience.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dog falls into a puddle and the counting up to ten other animals and people fall intot eh puddle until rescue workers drain the puddle and get everyone out. Cute but preschool for humor, maybe toddler with right group.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute counting book with graphics that will give kids lots to look at and decipher.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun counting story with lively, detailed illustrations.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't suspend my disbelief with this one, it is cute otherwise.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

During an overnight rainstorm, a large and deep puddle forms across a city street, and the next day increasing numbers of creatures or things disappear into it, from one shaggy dog to nine robbers.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not overly fond of this one, but it would probably get a giggle.

[Ilib4kids · Rating 3 out of 5]

E PARKER