Finn the Floaty

Wind whisks an orca-shaped pool floaty on a wild outing in Hatch’s droll tale, loosely inspired by a true story, per an author’s note. Inflatable whale Finn loves summertime days spent being “jumped on, dived over, and raced” in his human family’s heated pool, but the play can be noisy and tiring, and he sometimes wonders what’s on the other side of the fence. After a storm sweeps him sky-high, he lands in open water (“a different kind of pool”) where he appears to swim with a pod of orcas before drifting into the arms of unfamiliar children playing at the beach. Missing “the comfort of his warm pool, his floaty friends, and the children he loved,” Finn longs for home, while the human family distributes “lost” posters. Another windstorm quite literally leaves the toy deflated until discovery yields a final happy reunion. Hand-painted textures provide the digital artwork with a rough, chalky feel. This imagination-fueled adventure conveys a buoyant sense of possibility. Human figures are depicted with varied skin tones. Ages 4–8. (May)