Egg Hunts! Fireworks! Pumpkins! Reindeer!
Set against the backdrop of a magnificent apple tree, this book uses poetry to cycle through the changes of the four seasons.
Beginning with springtime, rhyming couplets take young readers through seasonal activities such as kite flying in the spring, summertime picnicking, fall trick-or-treating, all the way to building snowmen in the winter, before cycling back to spring again. One verse in each season references a major holiday, including Easter and Christmas.
October 1, 2018
A rhyming look at all the fun to be had during a year of seasonal changes.An apple tree anchors the book, its branches visually portraying each of the seasons: "Glittering sunbeams make a golden crown / for a tree that is wearing a blossom gown." Daigneault's illustration here shows the tree heavily laden with pinkish blossoms, the top of the tree tinged yellow from the rays of the sun. Opposite the tree, a groundhog emerges. This sets up a pattern, as Edwards introduces an animal and how it experiences the season (in summer, birds feed their chicks in the nest, for example) before two double-page spreads show how children enjoy it. In autumn: "Racing the field, taking aim, / Helping your team to win the game." A Hallmark holiday is included in each season: Easter (hunting eggs and bunny treats), the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas (leaving out cookies for Santa). This book is best shared with an adult, as text on the introductory spreads is in cursive, and children may need help with some of the heightened language and imagery on these pages, gorgeous though they are. The illustrations are realistic and portray both beautiful nature scenes and children enjoying the suburban outdoors (only three activities take place indoors). The kids have varied skin tones and hair textures, though they do not appear to be economically diverse. Books about the seasons abound. This one's mentions of specific holidays may limit its audience. (Picture book. 3-7)
COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
February 1, 2019
K-Gr 2-This tranquil introduction to the seasons shows that there are fun and comforting traditions to celebrate all year long. The text is a series of rhyming couplets and, while one or two feel a bit clunky, they are successful at highlighting familiar seasonal activities such as riding a bike through fall leaves or watching fireworks in the summer. Two fonts alternate as the seasons transition, one of which may be tough for children to read if they haven't learned cursive. The illustrations are soft and gentle, with pleasing borders of flowers, butterflies, leaves, and snowflakes. The book has a pleasant cyclical feeling which blends well with the seasonal theme, as both the beginning and ending spreads feature the same apple tree and groundhog. Although there isn't an overlying Christian theme, the text does allude to both Christmas and Easter. VERDICT A solid selection for storytime or for initiating classroom discussions about the many unique spring, summer, fall and winter activities that can be enjoyed.-Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State University, OH
Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.