seasons

Sharing the Seasons

| Tasha

Sharing the Seasons selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by David Diaz

I consider Lee Bennett Hopkins one of the greatest anthologists of children’s poetry in our time.  His latest collection offers poetry that celebrates the seasons.  Once again his skill at placement of poems next to one another is apparent.  He manages to form an order to the poems that reads fluidly and never groups them together lumpily by smaller themes.  This collection features poems that are child friendly, but never didactic.  They are poems that sing and thanks to the conducting skills of Hopkins, they are a symphony.

Hopkins contributed poems himself to the anthology, often using them to frame the theme.  There are poems here that are quite short but stunningly deep.  The one I adore most ends the anthology:

December by Sanderson Vanderbilt

A little boy stood on the corner

And shoveled bits of dirty, soggy snow

Into the sewer–

With a jagged piece of tin.

He was helping spring to come.

Diaz’s art is glowing.  Rich and warm, it encircles the poems and illuminates them.  He captures the light and holds it to the page in vibrant color.  Beautiful and poetic.

Highly recommended, this poetry anthology is a jewel.  Perfection for seasonal poems, it sings of the seasons.  Appropriate for ages 4-9.

Reviewed from copy received from McElderry Books.

Also reviewed by A Patchwork of Books.

Mama Is It Summer Yet?

| Tasha

Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure

This lovely, gentle book shows the slow approach of summer through the spring as buds appear on trees, seeds are planted in the garden, trees blossom, and baby ducks follow their mothers.  Focused on the natural world and the seasonal changes around us, this book has a wonderful connection to the earth.  McClure’s stunningly detailed cut-paper illustrations add to the appeal with subtle colors warming the black and white.  A great read aloud for a toddler story time on spring or summer, or a great book to snuggle together with on a wintry day and dream of the warm days to come.

This book features charming, brief writing that offers information on the seasons and ties directly in to what the illustrations are showing.  The relationship of the mother and child throughout the book is very organic and loving.  The illustrations are so deftly done that it is sometimes hard to even imagine that they are cut paper.  The detail would be impressive enough with pen and ink. 

A pleasure of a book, share this with children who are enjoying summer right now but make sure to pull it out to warm up cooler days as well.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

City Dog, Country Frog

| Tasha

City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems, illustrated by Jon J. Muth

I was a little concerned about a book by Willems that he didn’t illustrate himself, but I shouldn’t have.  This book is a rich exploration of friendship.  A dog who has never lived in the country before runs out through the fields and comes upon a frog sitting on a rock near the water.  The frog immediately invites the dog to be his friend and the two play frog games together that spring.  When summer comes, the dog and frog play city dog games together, including fetch.  In the fall, the frog is growing old and tired.  So the two play remembering games together, thinking of spring and summer and the games they played.  Then winter came and when the dog headed to the rock, the frog wasn’t there.  Then spring came again, and this time the dog was the one sitting on the rock waiting for a friend.  And guess who came?  A new and unexpected friend.

This book is about friendship, that deep and abiding type of friendship that is about connection.  It is also about loss and it captures it so vividly that children will immediately understand the gravity of winter and exactly what the dog is experiencing.  It is a very powerful moment, depicted in deep blues of winter cold and silence in the text.  Beautifully captured.  At the same time though, it is a book about friendship continuing, new friends arriving, and the ability to move on and resume.  Willem’s language is simple and adept, he says things is so few words yet captures feelings perfectly.  Muth’s illustrations really capture the seasons. One can almost smell the grass of spring, the autumn leaves, and the crisp snowy air.  He also imbues the animals’ faces with deep emotions yet makes sure that they are still dogs and frogs. 

Highly recommended, this pairing of author and illustrator has created an amazing story that is deep and moving.  Appropriate for ages 4-8.  Make sure when you share this with a child that there is time to talk afterwards, it is sure to start a conversation.

Reviewed from library copy.

Check out the trailer that Mo Willems created for the book:

Also reviewed by:

Poetry Friday: Pumpkin Butterfly

| Tasha

Pumpkin Butterfly: Poems from the Other Side of Nature by Heidi Mordhorst, illustrated by Jenny Reynish

Celebrate the seasons with this collection of poems that capture the small moments of each time of year.  Applaud squirrels, feed a maple tree from your old lunchbox, create snow angels, sleep in a bed heaped with snowy blankets, listen for the whisper of falling petals, and groove to the jazz of a flower. 

Mordhorst captures the essence of each season and within each season she finds small details to linger over and enjoy.  Her poetry is clean and crisp, simple and friendly.  Reynish’s illustrations serve as a frame around the verses, setting them off to great effect.  They enhance and support the poems nicely with their simple lines.

A wonderful collection to read straight or to select poems to use in classrooms or with story times.  Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.