UNDER THE WATER

The annual celebration of Dragon’s
Day to mark the beginning of summer is very nearly spoiled once again for the
residents of Hidden Valley when all the fireworks disappear.

It’s really just a misunderstanding.
Emerging as she does once a year from the lake, blue-skinned Aqua—described as
looking “just like a mermaid” but with legs rather than fins in the
illustrations—secretly gathers up the fireworks and other unattended treasures
to keep them safe. When Yula, Ticky, and the other residents (who are drawn as
diverse, anthropomorphic woodland creatures) confront the supposed thief, she
swims off in a rage. Then her pursuers follow in a fishlike submarine they find
that’s named Olivier—but are swallowed
by the supposedly legendary dragon that had been sleeping at the bottom of the
lake. High feelings turn to warm ones after everyone in the valley is treated
to a spectacular display as the surprised dragon rises up, spouting a fountain
of multicolored rockets (turns out Aqua had hidden them in the sub). Porta
brings the ungainly charm of his three previous seasonally themed Hidden Valley
outings to this (probable) closer, filling out the ensemble cast with further
unconventional characters and leaving Aqua, Olivier,
the dragon, and all the rest gathered at a festive banquet beneath moonlit
trees.

Completes a seasonal round with
dashes of mystery, adventure, and conflict resolved in a wash of bonhomie…plus
some big explosions. (Picture book. 3-7)