Spring parade

Spring arrives like a parade in this welcoming picture book paean by Kay and Howard. Emerging from its burrow, a gray bunny first spots hints of green among a snow-filled landscape, and then spies a single purple crocus ("Here comes the first flower"). Making similar observations via a "Here comes" refrain, Kay introduces bears, birds, butterflies, and others, and as the jaunty procession grows in size, the creatures cavort across verdant green hills that increasingly burst with bright pink, orange, and yellow flowers. Rhythmic prose is concise but evocative ("Here come the blooming fruit trees./ Here comes a soft breeze"), while vibrant impressionistic paintings build to busy, joyous scenes--a pageant that reaches its pinnacle beneath the smudgy confetti of cherry tree blossom petals, inviting readers to celebrate. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)

A tribute to spring for the preschool crowd. A winsome gray bunny emerges from its winter burrow to welcome the first flower of spring. Time passes, the snow melts, and a family of brown bears emerge from their den to gambol in the freshly sprung grass. Next come newly hatched birds and awakening insects. As the woods and open fields become progressively filled with the various colors of blossoming flowers, more and more animals gather in a joyful procession. With the gray bunny leading them, they skip along to a wild orchard, where they romp in beds of "confetti," which is to say, fallen fruit tree blossoms. The penultimate spread shows the bunny leader sitting on a flower-festooned tree-stump throne while enjoying a "soft breeze," as indicated by emanata. Howard's impressionistic paintings are all presented as two-page, full-bleed spreads, allowing for a sense of movement and spring's expansive energy. Each spread includes one or two sentences in capital letters, almost all of which use anaphoric repetition, resulting in a rhythm that feels full of anticipation. The book affords plenty of opportunities for adult-child interaction; for example, caregivers can help children find and name all of the different animals in the artwork. Extending the narrative, the endpapers display a montage of images of the bunny interacting with other residents of the natural world, perhaps a glimpse at the social season ahead. Simple but effective at conveying the joy of the season of new beginnings. (Picture book. 1-4) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.