Let's build a dam by Daniel Fehr, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio

 This came out at the same time as the humorous There's a cow in my bed but with a different illustrator and publisher. It did require me to let go of my adult viewpoint, since all I could think of was first - you're going to attract cottonmouths (we accidentally did that when I was a kid in Texas and we built a dam in a creek) and second - you really shouldn't move rocks around in the water, it disturbs the wildlife.

However! Putting on my hat of childlike wonder, as well as artistic appreciation, I greatly enjoyed this story. Two girls, one barefoot and one with yellow boots, haul unrealistically giant rocks into a small river to create a dam. They're watched by their little brother, a blonde-haired child with a stubborn expression, who adds a big green stone the size of his head.

The girls continue expanding their dam, but Noah is more interested in watching what's going on in the resultant growing lake, including the far-off shape of a water monster and the arrival of a fishing boat. The layout of the art looks like a theater stage, framed by trees to the side, golden hills at the back, and the text underneath. The next movement in the stage is the arrival of a large sailing ship, complete with bewigged king. The king's men are required to help with building the growing dam, until they are interrupted by pirates. There's no time for battles though, as May and Lily firmly collect the pirates to help in the building process. Just when things are getting really interesting, Noah decides he wants his green stone back...

A rush of water flushes away the fruits of their imagination and the three show up at home looking sheepish and definitely bedraggled, to be tucked up on the couch and given hot chocolate. The illustrator's beautiful art shimmers with sun and water, the children and other people looking like collage cuttings posted on top of the theater-style background.

Verdict: A unique, funny, and beautiful book incorporating outdoor play, imagination, and friendly sibling cooperation. This should be a fun read for slightly older listeners are storytime. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780735845015; Published May 2023 by North South; Added to library order list