When Spring Comes [Hardcover]

Natalie Kinsey-Warnock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1993 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A young girl dreams of the arrival of spring, with the blossoming apple trees and the music of tree frogs that accompany warm weather, but she soon learns to also appreciate the magic of winter.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The tranquil scene on the title page sets the tone for this tale of a country yesteryear: a girl kneels by a window, dreamily staring out at the snow-covered landscape beyond. The story (actually more of a bucolic seasonal catalogue) details her reverie of all the fun that spring will bring--from sugaring off to picking strawberries and running barefoot--and then veers back to the present with a trip on the snow roller and an evening sleigh ride. The wintry sky gleams so bright with stars that the girl wonders if even a spring night could be "as dark and wonderful as now?" Kinsey-Warnock's ( The Canada Geese Quilt ) carefree mood piece recalls the wholesome joys of an earlier, rural time, a viewpoint bolstered by the sweeping, lyrical artwork. Schuett's large-as-life perspectives imbue the story with an engrossing sense of drama--witness the sleigh-ride scene that whisks readers off into a shimmering winter night. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4-- This picture book anticipates the coming of spring to a Vermont girl's farm in the not-so-distant past. The requisite props are here: Morgan horses, sugaring off of the maple syrup, and making the local delicacy called sugar on snow. The warmth of the season, with the coming of wild flowers and strawberries, contrasts with the crisp coolness of the winter in which the story is set. This is a clean, inviting recollection, with none of the muddy ruts or dreariness that New England springs feature. It is simply told from a young girl's point of view, right down to the putting away of long underwear and shoes. A charming story with all the glow of nostalgia for a season brief though evocative, this narrative is illustrated with acrylic and pastel paintings, in some ways primitive in the poses of the human beings, but appropriately impressionistic for a book that emphasizes the atmosphere, especially the sky. The pacing of pages and text is slow and orderly, not punctuated by any action except the inexorable change of seasons and the flash forward and back to the wintery frame of the story. A small gem with expansive illustration. --Ruth K. MacDonald, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (March 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525450084
• ISBN-13: 978-0525450085
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,461,787 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great bedtime story... or history lesson, August 4, 2001

By 

LadyArwyn "Jean" (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Spring Comes (Hardcover)

My son recieved When Spring Comes from my mother after she found the artist signing copies of this book at the mall. The illustrations are rich with detail and have a warm cozy feeling. The story is simple, an 19th century farmgirl dreams of what will happen "when spring comes" while enjoying the benefits of winter. This was one of my son's favorites and is quickly becoming a favorite of my 4 year old daughter.