Ice

Geisert's (Oops) resourceful pig families are back, and the exaggerated landscape format of this volume allows Geisert an expansive stage for this wordless adventure. This particular group of pigs lives in wooden shelters on a desert island, shaded from the punishing sun by tarps. With their water supply running low, the pigs gather around a table at night and consult a globe; then, in the story's most ravishing sequence, they launch their balloon-powered air-schooner—sails billowing, pennants flying—for the seas east of Greenland. But what is the long, mysterious parcel tied underneath it? It's a sail to guide a gigantic iceberg back, towed behind the air-schooner. Carved up into blocks, the iceberg replenishes their well and provides air conditioning, too. This is an especially satisfying Geisert title, because the task is essential for the pigs' survival and they carry it off with such élan. And the air-schooner, a charming marriage of sailing and balloon technology, is a standout among Geisert's many contraptions. Nominee for best spread: the ship under sail, towing the iceberg, in silhouette against the full moon. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)