Customer Reviews

A Summertime Song

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is by far, the best children's book I have ever read, and more importantly, shared with my children. I find myself sitting quietly with the book, intrigued with the illustrations, and looking at the details in all the little creatures. Not only is it beautiful to look at, it is also a delight to read. Charming, eventful, and beautifully written, Haas inter-twines the story with a touch of poetry, and the end result is astonishing.

This is a charming tale about a little girl who has magical adventures in her grandmother's garden. The book is beautifully illustrated, and the text is both simple yet poetic. Irene Haas recounts the wondrous happenings in the story, in which a little girl loses herself in the magic of the garden. The childhood world of magic and "adult" reality meet when she finds her grandmother's lost doll in the garden. This book is a must for "children" of all ages.

Lucy goes on a magical journey to a birthday party, finding friends, taming the owl "villian", and ultimately finding happy endings. My boy liked it for the action and the interesting illustrations; my girl liked the female heroine and sweetness. With lyrical poetry and beautiful illustrations, this is a great gift book -- a bedtime favorite.

I have to thank my local public libraries (we have three close to home) for introducing so many enchanting children's books to us. My 5-year-old and I were perusing the shelves the other day and we came across this book - it's an over sized book but that makes it perfect as the illustrations by author/illustrator Irene Haas leap off the pages and draw the reader into a world filled with nature and surprises. A young girl, Lucy opens her window one warm summer night, and unknowingly gets drawn into a wonderful adventure. A frog delivers an invitation to a birthday party and before long, young Lucy becomes tiny Lucy and is conveyed via a nest "taxi" through the garden where she meets a host of interesting garden inhabitants, including a nasty old owl. When the party begins, even more surprises are in store, especially when the birthday guest is revealed. Lucy also finds a lost doll in the garden, a doll that has been lost for many, many years.

This is such a sweet and captivating tale - how often have we as children (and perhaps even as adults) imagined ourselves exploring nature through the eyes of the creatures around us. My little girl often tells me she wishes she were the same size as the snails and worms that crawl around our garden, so she might say hello and join them on their adventures. Well, I can't blame her - I find myself wishing the same at times! This is a fun, and beautifully illustrated read for adventurers of all ages.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated with miniature
life among the reeds of grass, and small dolls/ objects in
general. SUMMERTIME SONG'S illustrations allow me to
participate in that world. It's a thrill each time I pick it up!