The thing was, Sal wasn't
just a fish. She was a "pal."
Now, you might think a
fish is not nearly as much fun as a puppy or a kitten. You
might think that you can't play with a fish. A goldfish
isn't like a bird or a deer that you watch from your window
but that was okay. The girl and Sal had fun, especially when
they played "lots of games together," although mostly
pretend ones.
But the biggest reason she
loved Sal, though, was because Sal gave the girl "bubble
kisses as she swims... in the water." Sometimes in her
dreams, the little girl swam like a mermaid with Sal, and
they visited other mermaids for those "delicious" bubble
kisses. She thought it was sad that from other "people's
lives such things are missing," but she was lucky.
She had Sal, right by her
bedside. All night long...
There is one very
important thing parents need to know about Bubble Kisses,
and it's in two parts: as a book, this is really a no-go.
It's repetitive and not very interesting to read. But as a
book-with-accompanying CD, it's stellar and your
preschooler will adore it.
Indeed, this book itself
is mostly a vehicle for author Vanessa Williams' song, which
follows the words in this book identically – meaning,
basically, that when your child requests it, you'll be
required to read song lyrics aloud. So many "bub-bub-bub-bub-bubble"
recitations might make you want to call it a day and head
for the shower.
But then, breathe deep and
remember that you're not a 2-year-old. Williams' words are
perfect for silly-singing, and the bouncy, light,
super-memorable song is one your toddler will warble
everywhere, all the time. With book-in-hand – and it'll be
in their hands often – kids can sing and follow along as you
both admire the adorable artwork by Tara Nicole Whitaker.
Just beware that this
isn't a one-and-done book. It's going to be repeatedly
requested and you might get an earworm from it. Still, just
one round of Bubble Kisses and your
toddler-to-preschooler will sing its praises.
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