Soap on a Rope - a bookwrap

Unwrapping...

Authored by:  Denise Barry

Illustrated by:  Andy Boerger

Ages:  4-8

Unwrapping the illustrations for you...

 

A shiny red box arrives in the mail complete with ribbons and bows.  Abigail is so excited and hopes with all her heart that it is a toy.  She quickly unwraps the box and finds to her disappointment some plain old soap...on a rope. Who could have sent her such a thing?  Do they think that she stinks? What in the world is she supposed to do with soap? 


Her dog Foo Man Chew suspects it might be a bone or an ice cream cone and gives it a lick to find out.  Yuk!! It tastes terrible and he considers taking off and finding a new home. 

 Nolan, her brother, surprises Abby by giving her a "run" for her money according to the soap's magical ability.  His imagination bubbles up and yes...he manages to turn her unexpected and unwanted gift into a celebration of pure joy.  He runs with the soap up and down the grassy hill, and instructs Abby to add water from the hose. The suds start swelling up and make a sudsy outside bath, like a car wash with no car, and whaahoooo it's party time.  A lovely diverse swarm of kids from all around the world hear their happy sounds as they are captured in the empty bubbles and then burst letting out the invitation to come join them.  These kids, ready in their swim suits, flock to the hill to play and slide until sunset sends them home.  

This playful, happy book is written in rhyme and it inspires kids to look beyond what they see in the natural and create with their imaginations a world that can bring joy and laughter out of the ordinary things of life.  Abby learns valuable lessons of being grateful and sharing her gift with others.  I highly recommend this book.

Denise Barry is the award winning author of WHAT DOES THE TOOTH FAIRY DO WITH OUR TEETH? and SOAP ON A ROPE. Both books were the recipients of the Mom's Choice Gold Award in 2014. 

Denise is also an inspirational writer who's work has been featured on many national websites, and in the best-selling book "Watch Her Thrive: Stories of Hope, Courage and Strength."
Denise loves hanging out with her husband and kids; bike riding, traveling, eating out, cooking at home with a recipe (the only way she can cook), hiking, playing in the snow...
She is currently working on a middle grade book for ages 8-12 called SWEENEY MACK AND THE SLURP AND BURP COMPETITION, a possible series. 
For more information on Denise and her books please visit her website at www.denisebarry.net You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.  

You're never too little to dream big, nor too big to dream!

Andrew Boerger is a well-established illustrator who has been in Tokyo for close to twenty years. His work regularly appears in All Nippon Airway's magazine, Wingspan, The Daily Yomiuri, and other publications. His work has received awards from The San Francisco Illustrator's Society, The San Francisco Art Directors Club and The International Festivals and Events Association, among others. Andy's Right Brain Drawing training, as well as his commitment to children's education, makes him the ideal lead teacher for our Right Brain Drawing for Kids program. Andy has developed many workshops for RBR that further fine tune the 5 perceptual skills learned in the 5-day Right Brain Drawing workshop, notably the Old Masters series. He finds that his work as an illustrator and an instructor continually puts him into contact with the creative efforts and output of other people; writers, designers, students, etc. He uses these opportunities to filter through his own imagination to produce something unique.

Read on and read always!

It's a wrap.