From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1–A joyful romp through the calendar. After each month is introduced, readers are asked, "What can you see?" The bottom border is sprinkled with the names of objects to search for in the illustrations: pine trees and hockey sticks in January, hammocks and beach balls in August. The folk-style artwork is done in gouache and paper collage, which lend depth and surprising detail to the pictures. The colors shift from a muted winter palette to vibrant spring colors, then to the rich, golden hues of autumn. Each spread is packed with small details, inviting readers to pore over the book and discover new items with each reading. The repetitive text is perfect for toddlers, and the word lists on the bottom of the page are an excellent tool for building vocabulary. From the ice-glazed pond of January to December's celebration of the turning year, children will enjoy this colorful, lighthearted journey.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR
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
PreS-Gr. 1. Whether the month-by-month scenes in this book of picture puzzles portray ice skaters on a "pond glazed with ice" or sun worshipers at the beach, the invitation to locate seasonally appropriate objects (listed at the bottom of each spread) will keep children firmly engaged. Blackstone's accompanying verses ("Move into May, come along with me! It's time to make our gardens grow--what can you see?") are less buoyant than Sendak's monthly ditties in Chicken Soup with Rice (1962), and some youngsters may find distinguishing certain months difficult without references to exclusively American holidays, such as Independence Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, which the U.K.-based publisher has opted not to include. Still, Carluccio's collage-and-paint artwork, with embellishments snipped from gift wrap, topographical maps, and even doctors' prescription pads, contributes enough busy texture to heighten the seek-and-find challenge. Creative teachers will find inspiration here to launch a calendar-making project. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
