Playground Day
ISBN-13: 978-0-618-81696-5
ISBN-10: 0-618-81696-8
Publisher: Clarion Books
Reading level: Ages 3 – 6
Hardcover: 32 pages

Intricate and charming collage illustrations crafted from torn and cut paper shine in this exuberant celebration of imagination and creative play. Each page offers clues to a friendly preschool guessing game and captures the unique pleasures of a day spent at the playground.

Merz offers a celebratory ode to the splendor of playgrounds, her verses taking readers on an exploration of a child’s imagination. Sprightly rhymes draw a tidy parallel between how the child’s play mirrors familiar activities of various animals: spraying in a water fountain like an elephant, swinging like a monkey, etc. Using a collage of cut and torn papers, Merz artfully creates full-color illustrations that offer readers intriguing panoramas filled with depth and texture. Appealing illustrations and lively verse make this tale particularly suited for rousing read-aloud sessions. In an era of elaborate schedules for the youngest of children, Merz’s simply executed tale is a reminder to return to the basics, encouraging readers to unfetter their imaginations and embrace the creative opportunities unstructured outdoor play affords. (Kirkus Reviews)