Review by Booklist Review
A brother and sister romp through the seasons. Come summer, they go to the lake, where they swim, shuck corn, and eat blueberries picked right off the bush. Come fall, they enjoy the tire swing and gather pecans. Winter brings indoor jigsaw puzzles and outdoor fun in the snow. In spring, they visit Uncle Dean's farm, where they meet a pig family, pick up baby chicks, and play with puppies. Then it's back to the lake, as the cycle of seasons continues and the story gracefully ends. Written in free verse, the text concisely captures childhood experiences during each season, then provides a clear transition to the next. As fall comes to a close, A tree will tap the window / with branchy fingers that will turn bony and bare . . . . / come Winter. The carefully chosen words and images evoke sensory experiences and memories. Warmed with touches of vivid colors, Miyares' paintings portray the children in reflective and active moments, while showing seasonal shifts around them. A beautiful picture book that reads aloud well.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Come summer,/ we'll visit the lake./ When we spot a sparkle through the trees,/ we'll race to the rope, bellowing/ 'Cannonbaaall!' " Readers follow a child's joyful leap to splash into this loping evocation of specific seasonal joys, among them gathering pecans, sledding, and getting a puppy from a farm. Norman's text follows two siblings through the turning seasons, evoking a fantasy of rural childhood in a four-season climate, where in summer, "it will be our job to shuck the corn for supper./ We'll eat outside, smacking mosquitoes/ between buttery bites," and in winter, "sorting puzzles on the carpet,/ we'll look up when a TV voice says,/ 'Snow tomorrow!' " Miyares's bright illustrations combine washes of vibrant color with earnest details: overalls and ball caps, red barns and rag rugs, pecan trees and tire swings. The story offers well-established seasonal repertoire in a skillful, appealing presentation. Ages 3--6. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--Norman's brief, lyrical text accompanied by Miyares's colorful, equally poetic illustrations records a cycle of seasons. As a brother and sister anticipate the joys awaiting them on the calendar pages they share memories of previous seasons. Memories of eating "buttery bites" of corn on the cob while "smacking mosquitoes" in summer, choosing to be "out" of doors in the fall and "in" come winter, and getting a "fuzzy friend" with "silky ears" in spring. Family oriented, gently appealing with its bright pages recording the certainty of a year in procession, this is a year-round celebration. VERDICT A book for all seasons, perfect for individual or small group sharing.--Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A lyrical look at the changing of the seasons.Two siblings scamper through the seasons, showing readers just what is special about each one. Summer begins with a gigantic cannonball from a rope swing over the lake. Slippery ears of corn are shucked and munched as the two "eat outside, smacking mosquitoes between buttery bites." The children feel the wind from the fan, cooling the night, which slips seamlessly into the chilly wind of fall. Miyares' palette switches from sunny brightness to fiery reds and warmer yellows. The two pals (who may be fraternal twins or just close in age) jump into piles of leaves and stuff their pockets with pecans. The cool, blue tones of winter bring sledding and nights spent working puzzles, while spring shows a visit to a farm and a new addition of a furry friend. Each season in this rural, temperate place is full of simple, everyday delights. The white frame house stands alone, trees, blueberry bushes, a lake, and other bucolic delights for the children to enjoy without adult supervision all nearby. Norman expertly conjures what seasonal change feels like in the country with delicious sensory details and warm, family togetherness. The family depicted presents white.Wholesome, cozy, and nostalgic; pitch perfect. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
