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evermoreliterary's review against another edition
4.0
As a kid, this was a favorite of my mother's and me. While the book doesn't have a story and is more about counting, it provides the base for a great conversation about the importance of animals and the conservation efforts needed to save some of them. Along with that, the illustrations are some of the most beautiful I've seen in a children's picture book. Included in each, are hidden animals that you can find with your children. Even as an adult it was difficult to find many of them and I had a great time challenging myself to find each and every one before turning the page. I deeply enjoyed revisiting a book from my childhood and I'm so glad it was just as fun as I remembered it being 20 some odd years later.
cris_bookreader's review against another edition
5.0
Assignment: Picture Book Project
Category: Counting
Recommending Source: p. 73 in textbook
Review: Beginning among the plains of Africa, animals seek to quench their thirst at the water hole. As they do, the numbers of animals that visit the water hole increases sequentially from 1 animal to 10 animals. Meanwhile, the number of frogs lounging at the water hole diminishes and so does the water supply. Time passes, and then rain begins to replenish the water hole.
Graeme Base created his artwork for this book on hot-press illustration board with watercolors, pencil, and gouache. In a note from the author at the end of the story, he explains that he was inspired by a four-week scenic safari through Kenya and Tanzania. His original idea was to focus on the seasons among the African plains, but it progressively expanded to include other animals from around the world. A list is given prior to the author’s note naming the different places that were presented in the book. There is a medium to dark tone of color used in this book. The plants and animals featured in the story are drawn with intricate detail. Base also includes more animals in the landscape and along the borders of each framed scene. The water hole itself is cut spherically to show the decreasing amount of water with every turn of the page.
As a counting book, The Water Hole can be used to introduce writing the numbers 1 to 10 in sequential order. Animals would then be drawn and colored to correspond with each number. In addition, the students can write out the number and the name of the animals in their pictures. Another good activity would be to have a few students to work together with a copy of the book to find the number of hidden animals in each setting. A list of each hidden animal and the quantity of each could also be created together as a class.
This book was very fun to read. The pictures were drawn beautifully and I didn’t realize until reading the inside of the dust jacket that there were hidden pictures in each scene. I can see children spending quite a bit of time reading the story and trying to find the hidden animals. I find it very interesting that the author and illustrator combined eye-catching artwork with puzzles and a good story all-in-one. I have never read a book that combined all three features. Searching for the hidden animals reminded me of when I used to read Highlights magazines and enjoyed looking for the hidden objects in the Hidden Pictures Puzzles. I also enjoy using the list of places to refer back to the book and learn more about those particular areas through Base’s illustrations.
Category: Counting
Recommending Source: p. 73 in textbook
Review: Beginning among the plains of Africa, animals seek to quench their thirst at the water hole. As they do, the numbers of animals that visit the water hole increases sequentially from 1 animal to 10 animals. Meanwhile, the number of frogs lounging at the water hole diminishes and so does the water supply. Time passes, and then rain begins to replenish the water hole.
Graeme Base created his artwork for this book on hot-press illustration board with watercolors, pencil, and gouache. In a note from the author at the end of the story, he explains that he was inspired by a four-week scenic safari through Kenya and Tanzania. His original idea was to focus on the seasons among the African plains, but it progressively expanded to include other animals from around the world. A list is given prior to the author’s note naming the different places that were presented in the book. There is a medium to dark tone of color used in this book. The plants and animals featured in the story are drawn with intricate detail. Base also includes more animals in the landscape and along the borders of each framed scene. The water hole itself is cut spherically to show the decreasing amount of water with every turn of the page.
As a counting book, The Water Hole can be used to introduce writing the numbers 1 to 10 in sequential order. Animals would then be drawn and colored to correspond with each number. In addition, the students can write out the number and the name of the animals in their pictures. Another good activity would be to have a few students to work together with a copy of the book to find the number of hidden animals in each setting. A list of each hidden animal and the quantity of each could also be created together as a class.
This book was very fun to read. The pictures were drawn beautifully and I didn’t realize until reading the inside of the dust jacket that there were hidden pictures in each scene. I can see children spending quite a bit of time reading the story and trying to find the hidden animals. I find it very interesting that the author and illustrator combined eye-catching artwork with puzzles and a good story all-in-one. I have never read a book that combined all three features. Searching for the hidden animals reminded me of when I used to read Highlights magazines and enjoyed looking for the hidden objects in the Hidden Pictures Puzzles. I also enjoy using the list of places to refer back to the book and learn more about those particular areas through Base’s illustrations.
veritas19's review against another edition
5.0
This is an amazing animal/counting book. This book could also count as an engineered book because there is a hole cut out on each page showing the size of the watering hole. It shows how the watering hole slowly over the turns of the page gets smaller and smaller. On each two page spread there is a number and how many animals are drinking at the watering hole. It also says what the animal might be thinking. On each two page spread it has a magnificently painted picture of the animals that are at the hole but there things hidden in the picture. If you look closely, there is a gathering of frogs at the watering hole and they are dressed up in jewels and shirts. You also notice that other animals images are hidden in the trees, brush and the leaves around the watering hole. It shows the other animals that live in this particular habitat and would also use the watering hole. You also can see more animals in the border of the pages. This is a very intricately painted/illustrated book and no matter how many times I look at a page, I see something new that wasn't there before. At the very end of the book, the author lists where in the world each habitat was like North America, Africa and the Galapagos Islands (to name a few). This book is magnificent and I loved every minute of it!
calistareads's review against another edition
4.0
This is a beautiful book. Usually, in Graeme Base books I’ve read, he has all these hidden games throughout the story. He did not do that here. This is a straight forward story about counting animals around water holes around the earth. I think it shows the importance of water. The animals are beautiful and this is a simple story.
There is a cutout on each of the first 10 pages you can see the water down to the bottom. That is a nice touch. I like that. The water hole does shrink.
My niece got a little worried. What do animals do with nothing to drink? It bothered her to know they didn’t have water. I said it can be very hard on them in the dry season and only the healthy ones survive. She gave this 3 stars because of the anxiety it produced in her, I think. The nephew thought this was fun and he loved seeing the big animals. He gave this 4 stars. He had no anxiety over the story.
There is a cutout on each of the first 10 pages you can see the water down to the bottom. That is a nice touch. I like that. The water hole does shrink.
My niece got a little worried. What do animals do with nothing to drink? It bothered her to know they didn’t have water. I said it can be very hard on them in the dry season and only the healthy ones survive. She gave this 3 stars because of the anxiety it produced in her, I think. The nephew thought this was fun and he loved seeing the big animals. He gave this 4 stars. He had no anxiety over the story.
catsbah's review against another edition
5.0
My mum bought this book for my kids a while ago and I'd never really looked at it. I was sitting with the kids looking at the pictures yesterday and thought it was fantastic. I should have known it would be great being a Graeme Base book!
heatherliz's review against another edition
5.0
Everything about Graeme Base is wonderful. EVERYTHING
ozshark's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favourite Graeme Base books. There is just so much packed in to this small book! Take his usual gorgeous & detailed illustrations, add in fantastically hidden animals, throw in some mathematics with frogs and other animals, add a dash of geography and then finally a message about the importance of water and of species conservation.
pussreboots's review against another edition
5.0
The Water Hole by Graeme Base is a counting book with an environmental message. Each page shows a different region of the earth with native animals gathered around an ever dwindling source of water.
The book has Graeme Base's uniquely detailed illustrations. The back of the book has a list of the different animals presented.
To further add interest to young readers, the water hole is cut out of the book, giving an extra dimension to the experience. For the earliest pages, the different levels of water show through like ripples in a pond.
For fans of the book, there is also a coloring book available based on the original book.
The book has Graeme Base's uniquely detailed illustrations. The back of the book has a list of the different animals presented.
To further add interest to young readers, the water hole is cut out of the book, giving an extra dimension to the experience. For the earliest pages, the different levels of water show through like ripples in a pond.
For fans of the book, there is also a coloring book available based on the original book.
lakasmoose's review against another edition
4.0
So my goal for this weekend was to finish a book I started last month...
And yet, here I am...
Reading a children's picture book, and finding ridiculously hidden animals...
And yet, here I am...
Reading a children's picture book, and finding ridiculously hidden animals...
emkoshka's review against another edition
3.0
A colourful and clever read which will keep you searching for hidden animals on each page.
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