Season’s Readings
by Dan Coleman from the Lawrence Public Library Happy Springtime!, by Kate McMullan, illustrated by Sujean Rim Those of us weary of winter have no further to look than the pages of this free verse homage to everything great about spring (including a bit of science explaining just what makes it so). McMullan and husband Jim’s series of picture books about large vehicles (I Stink!, I’m Dirty!, etc.) have been crowd-pleasers for years, and water colorist Rim’s bright illustrations make this seasonal celebration stand out. The Spring Book, by Todd Parr Todd Parr is better known for his picture books about feelings and family, but lately he has turned his colorful faux naive style to natural subjects. While bright yellow backgrounds and faces without noses may not be my thing, Parr’s illustrations hypnotized my kids when they were preschoolers, and they really do work in this new ode to spring. Where else can you see a purple-faced kid, an earthworm with a bow (in its hair?), a skunk wearing polka-dotted undies, and a three-eyed alien standing in a field of shamrocks? Only the skunk has a nose. A lot to ponder here. How a Seed Grows, by Helene Jordan, illustrated by Loretta Krupinski Back to the basics with this simple explanation of what may be spring’s greatest miracle. Gardening with Emma: Grow and Have Fun: A Kid to Kid Guide, by Emma Biggs There are a lot of great gardening books for kids out there, but this is the best, because it’s actually written by a kid. Emma Biggs makes it all look fun and totally doable, from hand-drawn garden plans to harvest. Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera, by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann This book recently won the Sibert Medal, the ALA’s highest award for children’s nonfiction, but its beautiful illustrations would have made it a worthy winner of the Caldecott, too. In telling the life story of a honeybee, it comes as close to an immersive experience as a picture book can, and will leave you seeing something new next time a bee buzzes by. Rain!, by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson A grumpy old man harrumphs, an excited young boy exclaims, and they say the same word: “Rain!” What happens when they meet? This sweet story reminds us there is no better place to look for a silver lining than a spring rain
cloud. I Am the Storm, by Jane Yolen, Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illlustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell Sometimes weather is too exciting. This book reassures kids about severe weather, including our own spring menace, the tornado. I sure could have used it when my daughter was a toddler afraid of nighttime thunderstorms, and the best I could do was crank up her white noise machine, which always seemed like a great idea until I remembered the sound it made was rainfall. Look Up!: Birdwatching in Your Backyard, by Annette Cate This general guide to get kids birding, beginning in their own yards, makes it look so fun that parents may find themselves reaching for binoculars. Cate illustrates the book in an appealing style reminiscent of Gary Larson’s The Far Side comics, except her birds, while they do talk, are accurately drawn and identifiable by species. The Backyard Birdsong Guide: A Guide to Listening, by Donald Kroodsma, illustrated by Larry McQueen and Jon Janosik If kids are going birding, they need to learn to use their ears, too. Flip to a page and dial up the number on the small digital audio device attached to this book, and you’ve got a bird singing along as you read about it. Fair warning: The family cat might also join you. Those Darn Squirrels!, by Adam Rubin, Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri Why should baby birds and bunnies get all the love in springtime? What about those twitchy jerks who take single bites out of your tomatoes and chew holes in the roof? Kids don’t seem to mind squirrels as much as adults do, and Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri, better known for their Dragons Love Tacos books, have got it covered with this and several more adventures of “those darn squirrels.” National Geographic Kids Get Outside Guide: All Things Adventure, Exploration, and Fun!, by Nancy Honovich and Julie Beer No one knows outside like National Geographic, who published this book of ideas for kids to get out and do stuff instead of watching people on YouTube do very little. The book is broken up into various habitats (water, woods, etc.) with activities suggested for each. Hike, by Pete Oswald The only thing left to do now is get out there and go.
