Allison Colpoys

A timid young boy with social anxiety, Alfie was worried about the upcoming Underwater Dress-Up Parade, as he was supposed to lead the procession in his Captain Starfish costume. Shy Alfie had a history of avoiding uncomfortable get-togethers, and this proved no different. Fortunately, his understanding mother took him to the aquarium instead of the parade, and his observation of a starfish, and a shy little clown fish, helped reconcile him to his own shyness, and convince him that maybe in show more the future he would feel more confident...

Originally published in Australia as The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade, and then reprinted here in the states as Captain Starfish, this lovely picture-book won a number of awards for its artwork and design in its country of origin. It's easy to see why, as Allison Colpoys' illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, utilizing a lovely color palette and appealing stylized figures. That said, the story from author Davina Bell is also quite engaging, capturing the social fears of a shy young child quite well. Recommended to anyone who appreciates beautiful picture-books, as well as to anyone looking for children's stories about social anxiety and/or just being shy. show less

This is a nice book for young children. It reminds them wherever they go, even when their guardian is not near, that they are constantly loved and protected by the love umbrella. My newly 4 year old daughter really liked the story and wanted to read it again as soon as we finished it. I really liked the diverse characters and families in this book. There is something for everyone to identify with and recognize. The colors and art are appealing to all ages.

This is a beautiful book! Significantly; it arrived on a rainy day.

The cover is outstanding because of its sparkly background and its diverse group of friends standing together under a brightly-colored umbrella.

After reading this book, I think it would be fun to talk to the child to whom you read this book about metaphors. In this sweet story, told in poetry, the umbrella signifies the love which covers a child in times of adversity. Any child should be able to identify with the characters show more of this book who are multi-ethnic and have a variety of difficulties. It's easy to understand and should bring a measure of comfort to its little listeners.

"Whatever you fear, come close my dear
You're tucked in safe for always here
And I will never not be near
Because of our love umbrella." show less

This is an adorable book! The bright neon colors really pop on the muted backgrounds and give it a different feel for a children's book, which I appreciate. There are some pages where the flow of the language is a little hard to pick up on, but overall this is a solid book with a sweet message.