The Umbrella

Written by Jan Brett

Retail: $7.99 board book; $16.99 hardback
ISBN: Hardback: 9780399242151 Boardbook: 9780399255403
Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 inches
Pages: 32

Jan Brett takes her talents deep into the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica to create a tropical twist on The Mitten.

This story chronicles the antics of myriad animals that live in the leaf umbrella Carlos has left in front of a giant fig tree. As the tree frog, toucan, kinkajou, tapir, quetzal, monkey, and more pile into the umbrella, Carlos, who is visiting the cloud forest expressly to see these animals, doesn’t see a single one.

Things heat up when the monkey hurls the umbrella into the river. Jaguar jumps in, adding to the confusion, but it’s the tiniest of hummingbirds that causes the big splash.

Brett’s gorgeous, detailed watercolor reveal the tree-climbing boy on the left side and a sneak preview of the next umbrella-dwelling animal on the right side. Ages 4 to 8.