ALL IN A YEAR

What a difference a year can make. The Tanakas have moved into a new neighborhood. While keeping up with the family over the course of a year, readers are asked to respond to queries on each page, set in type that's a different color than the main text. On a spread depicting the community enjoying the cherry blossoms in the park, readers are invited to count the trees and to find a cat in a stroller. On another spread, where the Tanakas are getting ready for summer vacation, kids are asked to identify the flowers growing by the family's house. Children will delight in finding other, unasked-for items, since the bright, flat visuals feature numerous vibrant neighborhood activities. This entertaining Australian import lets little ones hone their visual-literacy skills, practice counting, and develop color appreciation. The Tanakas take center stage throughout, since their new home is literally in the middle of each illustration; a slim, illustrated captioned panel on the right-hand side of most pages offers another take on what they're doing. Seasonal shifts are reflected in background-color changes; the winter page depicts characters celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. Names and other details cue the pink-skinned Tanakas as Japanese; background residents vary in terms of skin color. The book uses Briticisms such aspram andMum. Lots of spirited, stimulating good fun.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.