Splish, Splash, Splosh by Renae Hayward, illustrated by Briony Stewart 

Title: Splish, Splash, Splosh 

Author: Renae Hayward, illustrated by Briony Stewart 

Genre: Fiction 

Publisher: Allen and Unwin 

Published: 3rd November 2026 

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 24

Price: $22.99

Synopsis: A paddling pool, a hose, a bucket or a puddle – there is nothing as much fun as making a splash! This gorgeous book is a joyful celebration of a favourite family activity, and a delight to read out loud.

What’s the best on a summer day?

Grandpa knows – it’s water play!

Off we go now! Sunscreen’s done.

Splish, splash, splosh, let’s have some fun!

From sprinklers to mud pies to paddling pools, there’s nothing kids love better than messing around with water, and this joyous celebration of summer fun is a delight to read out loud.

This book is perfect for:

– reading aloud, with its rollicking rhyme and great sense of fun

– the bedtime wind-down, with its gentle calming ending

– celebrating grandparents, and giving as a gift.

~*~

It’s coming up to summer, and there’s sure to be lots of fun around pools, beaches and waterparks for lots of people. Children will have fun with siblings, friends, family, parents, and grandparents. In this book, three children play in the garden in the kiddie pool with their grandfather. He sprays them with water as they splash around and have fun all day until it is time for a bath. 

There are sprinklers, mud pies and paddling pools that share the joy of playing in water for children. This joyous celebration of summer shows how fun water can be, and what it means when a beloved family member like a grandfather is part of the fun and magic of water play. 

Renae Hayward’s lyrical, joyful story is a great read aloud book because it is filled with great rhyming, a fun story, and something that is going to show how we can have fun without screens, and outside. It can be read at any time, but the marketing says it would be great for winding down at bedtime, as it has a calming ending that reminds kids the fun will be there again the next day, and that they need to recharge in bed to have more fun. It’s a great way to show kids how to engage with their world and what it means to be part of something fun. 

It’s also a great book to celebrate grandparents and the role they can play in a child’s life. Whether they live close enough to play every day or have to visit when they can, it highlights how children love to play with their grandparents. It’s lovely and shows that there are relationships in our lives that are filled with great meaning. That these people who are special to us can have the biggest impact on our lives when we spend time with them. 

Renae’s story is accompanied by lovely illustrations from Briony Stewart. These pictures are filled with life, joy and fun. They really bring the story to life for readers, whatever their age. It’s something that celebrates love as well, and I think will bring about great connection for families and readers. I hope that people love this book and hold it in their hearts. 

And I love that it also has a great sun-safe message about putting  sunscreen on without being didactic. A good reminder that being sun safety is important in our country for people of all ages. 

Another great book from Allen and Unwin!