Big, colorful illustrations and minimal text set the stage for a delightful cast of characters as they go about their day-to-day adventures in one little town throughout the year. Playing, chasing pets, running errands, going to work: following what happens and looking for the many small surprises in the pictures will absorb and amuse children and parents alike.
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2—Reminiscent of the bustle of Richard Scarry's "Busytown" (S & S), this oversize German import is divided into four sections, one for each season. At the start of each section a full page highlights several different community members, such as Pedro, who "loves to sing and play his guitar," and a cat. "Cassie travels all through the town. Can you find her in each picture?" The cartoon picture puzzle echoes Martin Handford's "Waldo" series (Candlewick). Each season is represented by seven spreads that feature cross-sections of buildings and a wealth of detail across the surrounding landscape. Viewers follow characters along their everyday activities from page to page throughout the year as the community and its members undergo changes. The illustrations are charming, and the thorough details guarantee joyful exploration.—Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
This oversize identification book, similar to Richard Scarry’s volumes, opens by introducing a cast of characters for children to find as they explore eight different scenes throughout each of the seasons. Myriad details of people, places, and events, colorfully drawn in cartoon style, will have youngsters examining the pages for hours, flipping back and forth to see seasonal changes in cutaway buildings, on a farm, around town, and much more. Any given character’s appearance during a season or throughout the year conveys a story, much as in Mitsumasa Anno’s travel books. The book design, with different color borders for each season, makes the process of comparing and contrasting scenes easier. Great for generating discussions with an ESL population, this book is best shared individually or in small groups as the images and details are small, even if the pages are large. Preschool-Grade 2. --Patricia Austin
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By fritterer
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a lovely book and seems to be a classic though it's recently written. Every page is teeming with things to look at and there are many pages. No words at all, but the pictures inspire the imagination. I also purchased her "Winter Book" and love it. That one has stories, poems, and songs about winter and winter holidays and traditions around the world. I use it as a resource for teaching, but it is lovely just to look at. I can't praise Rotraut Susanne Berner enough.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Glyptodont
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found this at the library and immediately went out and bought a copy for my 2-year old. That was 14 months ago, and we've read it numerous times since then.
It occupies the rare position of being not only her favorite book to read at bedtime, but mine as well (a welcome reprieve from Dora and Fancy Nancy!)
All four seasons are lovingly depicted -- and lushly detailed, but never too busy like in a "Where's Waldo?" book. Many reviewers have pointed out that something new is observed each time -- that's an understatement.
We read the Winter section (1/4 of the book) this morning and spent 45 minutes on it, looking in windows for characters we've not yet met, combing over the landscape to find animals we've not yet noticed. That should give an indication of how rich this book is.
It is set in Germany (with no text whatsoever, except for signs in the scenes, rendered in English), and there is a character or two smoking (amid 50-100 other adults in a scene not smoking) and a postage-stamp sized cartoonish Renoir nude hanging in a museum (complete with little girl giggling at it). Your parenting skills can adequately handle this, I'm guessing! Somehow I survived all those Little Golden Books where every father figure had a pipe stuck in his mouth, LOL.
Bottom line: best children's book, ever.
It occupies the rare position of being not only her favorite book to read at bedtime, but mine as well (a welcome reprieve from Dora and Fancy Nancy!)
All four seasons are lovingly depicted -- and lushly detailed, but never too busy like in a "Where's Waldo?" book. Many reviewers have pointed out that something new is observed each time -- that's an understatement.
We read the Winter section (1/4 of the book) this morning and spent 45 minutes on it, looking in windows for characters we've not yet met, combing over the landscape to find animals we've not yet noticed. That should give an indication of how rich this book is.
It is set in Germany (with no text whatsoever, except for signs in the scenes, rendered in English), and there is a character or two smoking (amid 50-100 other adults in a scene not smoking) and a postage-stamp sized cartoonish Renoir nude hanging in a museum (complete with little girl giggling at it). Your parenting skills can adequately handle this, I'm guessing! Somehow I survived all those Little Golden Books where every father figure had a pipe stuck in his mouth, LOL.
Bottom line: best children's book, ever.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By smiles
Format:Hardcover
My family has fallen in love with Ms. Berner's books. For Christmas, Santa Claus will be bringing as many books from Ms. Berner's collection as possible. Everynight we read the German version of this book. It is actually four separate books. She has now come out with single story books detailing the life behind the characters. Every night my children pick a person each to follow in the pictures. The series of seasons allows you to see a person change and develop: a couple falls in love and then she is later pregnant, a pregnant woman has a baby, a small child grows bigger and enters preschool,and a man keeps searching for a lost friend, his goose. There are parades, birthday parties, Christmas markets, piano lessons, etc. The biggest question, which we have only lately realized, is where is Ms. Berner herself in the book. She is the woman who's back is to you on the beginning page for that season, the picture with the big tree. We have found her in all but one season.
I cannot recommend these books enough. Children at a very young age can entertain themselves be following a person and creating their own story! This collection is a must have for every new parent or grandparent. You will get lost in the books!
I cannot recommend these books enough. Children at a very young age can entertain themselves be following a person and creating their own story! This collection is a must have for every new parent or grandparent. You will get lost in the books!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hands-down favorite book 1yr-2.5yr
If I could, I would give this 10 stars out of 5. My active son would not pay any attention to books, until he finally started looking at this around 15mo. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Sarah Calvo
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of our favorites!!
We don't buy a lot of books for our son because we prefer to go to the library and we prefer to own only the really special books. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
My son has destroyed this book. So I have to get another
My 3 year old son loves this book. We have has the book a good while now and we still go through it at least 4 times a week together. He just refers to it as "The Town Book". Read more
Published 3 months ago by Patrick J Flanagan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome book with tons of detail!
We bought this book for my almost-two-year-old daughter for Christmas and we all love it! The pictures have so much great stuff going on, and it's lots of fun to follow characters... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sarah
1.0 out of 5 stars
German author/illustrator--nudity depicted
My son did enjoy looking at this book, HOWEVER, there is one page in which a cultural center is depicted. Read more
Published 4 months ago by R. Wilcox
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
I'd recommend this book for any child. Even older children can use it to spark their imaginations. Awesome details in the drawings!!
Published 4 months ago by Dennis Meunier
5.0 out of 5 stars
a favorite
In the Town All Year 'Round is one of my kids' favorites. We actually have 2 copies of it and ordered this copy to give as a gift. Every time we read it, we find something new.
Published 5 months ago by J. Nigg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth every penny
We have shelves crammed with books and, after owning this one for about a month, this is the only book our 21 month old asks for by name, two and three times a day. "Town? Town? Read more
Published 9 months ago by Pepper
5.0 out of 5 stars
the best book for kids (and adults?)
This is a fantastic book, our favourite for our 15-month-old baby. There is so much to see and spot on each page (where's the balloon? Where's the ball? Read more
Published 9 months ago by J Beasley-Murray
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book!!!
I love this book and so does my 16 month old grandson. It is the kind of book that you can just make up a story as you go along...hence, every time you read the book... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Love the Lake
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