Balloons, Balloons, Balloons
by Dee Lillegard, illus. by Bernadette Pons
Published by Dutton Children's Books
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Reviewed by Janelle Martin
One morning, a mysterious rabbit floats over town in a hot-air balloon, releasing thousands of balloons on the unsuspecting population below. The adults are confused and frustrated at the mess the balloons make, but the children are delighted, quickly choosing their favorite colors. At the end of the day, the balloonist sails on, leaving behind a colorful gift to mark his passage.
Dee Lillegard’s rhyming, yet simple prose, is sure to delight children. The rhyming stanzas lend themselves to being memorized.
“Selena gets a pink one
A squiddy-black-ink one
A white as a sink one
Balloons Balloons Balloons”
The repetitive nature and minimal vocabulary of Lillegard’s tale makes it perfect for beginning readers.
All the necessary ingredients are present in Bernadette Pons’ captivating illustrations for Balloons, Balloons, Balloons. Bright colors and lots of small details fill these spreads, providing endless fodder for the game of “can you find the…” Children will giggle with delight at the disruption the balloons cause adults; glasses get knocked off their faces, cereal is spilled, and a game of tennis is interrupted.
Armchair Interviews says: Help the child in your life determine their favorite color and then help them learn to count as you hunt for all the balloons of that color in Balloons, Balloons, Balloons.