Parents' Guide to

Ice Cream Summer

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Whimsical art and ice cream tie in summer learning and fun.

Book Peter Sis Picture Book 2015
Ice Cream Summer Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

Summer's here, and Joe sees ice cream everywhere, but that doesn't mean his brain isn't working! Grandpa sends a letter asking how things are going. Joe writes back with a story of how he's learning new words, practicing his math, drawing maps, and researching history -- all related to his favorite summertime treat, ice cream. This busy, energetic kid builds sand castles with ice cream turrets and writes a book filled with cone-inspired illustrations: cats' ears, walrus tusks, fish bodies, baseball bats, and so on. He adds and subtracts scoops, calculates number of ice cream servings, and, using the encyclopedia Grandpa gave him, researches the history of ice cream. Vibrant, lively watercolor illustrations infused with occasional sketches and tiny narrative details add facts and humor. Plays on words and ice cream facts tucked in on the frontispiece, with tips on how to do further research, put the cherry on top.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Whimsical watercolors, silly wordplay, and ice cream cones everywhere -- how could this splendidly satisfying book go wrong? Author-illustrator Peter Sis has created the perfect, deliciously energetic kickoff to a summer of fun and tasty frozen treats that stimulate the mind as well as the virtual taste buds.

Kids will spend hours poring over the pages of ICE CREAM SUMMER, searching for the clever ways ice cream cones are used in the illustrations, doing the problems Joe suggests, thinking up new exotic names for their favorite flavors, and learning about the history of ice cream. Besides that, they'll love Joe and his grandpa and root for their climb to the top of ice cream peak.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the amazing number of ways author Peter Sis sneaks images of ice cream scoops and cones into his illustrations. Every page is filled with them! How many can you find? How many more could you design?

  • What about the big words Joe learns from reading the ice cream list? Which others could you add? Where do you look to find interesting words?

  • What did you think of the ice cream-influenced map? Did it remind you of any popular games you play? How? What would you add to the map, or what map would you design? What amazed you about the history of ice cream?

Book Details

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