Title: Goldfish on Vacation
Author: Sally Lloyd-Jones
Illustrator: Leo Espinosa
Age Group: 3-6
Synopsis: The fountain in the park is covered in scum and trash but when it’s turned into a summer home for local goldfish it will bring a neighborhood together.
The Lowdown:
This year was our first Summer Vacation. Previously we’ve had breaks in our activities but this was the first summer that we were competing to be as exciting as school. Luckily, this introduction was only 2 weeks long (especially as it coincided with Peanut’s birth). Even so it can understandably anti-climatic, staying home. I spent the weeks leading up to the break planning activities and outings because while summer vacation is about taking a step back from the day-to-day that we consistently power through, it’s also about new experiences. Goldfish on Vacation speaks to this new experience and the ability to turn an extended period into a stay-cation which can in itself be memorable.
The book initially introduces not only three children but also their three fish and an unused fountain near their home. The fountain becomes the epicenter of their summer break when a sign is posted alerting the children that it will be cleaned up and used as a summer home for any local goldfish that care to swim in its waters. This brings together all of the children from the neighborhood and their families, providing them a daily activity that encourages comradery and gives meaning to those summer days that can be seemingly endless. At the end of the summer, the children retrieve their fish (or at least three similar fish) in a fun filled fountain splash day, that smoothly bids summer adieu while ushering in the return to routine.
Espinosa delivers clean illustrations that are reminiscent of Christian Robinson but with his own flair. The pages are dotted with a fun use of textures, that give each picture more depth. One of our favorite pages is of all the goldfish swimming on a stunningly complementary blue page, that transports the reader into an ethereal watery setting. At the same time though, the simplistic way that Espinosa displays the characters of the story, gives the plot greater support while still drawing interest to the illustrations. The characters themselves are splattered with a lovely mixture of diversity and I loved how the children are from a unconventional home, living with their grandfather. 
Summer days can end up bleeding into each other and cause a listlessness that allows those hot days to seep away. I loved how Goldfish on Vacation encouraged a break, while still venerating some sort of activity. The book was about building new relationships and how local events can help facilitate that. Plus it is such a fun story to tell and allows the imagination to run a little. Truly a great summer read.
Story Tips:
- Play I-spy on the last page. It’s a great way for little ones to practice describing, listening, and searching.
I need more!
We have Sally Llyod-Jones’ Found: Psalm 23 and recently featured a guest post about her new book: His Royal Highness: King Baby. She does quite a few religious books but has a huge number of books that she’s authored. For more about her works: https://www.sallylloyd-jones.com/books/
Leo Espinosa recently released a book called Islandborn which is supposed to be phenomenal. Check out more about his other work here: https://www.studioespinosa.com/
