Charlotte Zolotow—author, editor, publisher, and educator—has one of the most distinguished reputations in the field of children's literature. She has written more than seventy books, many of which are picture-book classics, such as Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present and William's Doll. She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.
PreSchool-K?A perfect introduction to natural science. Although this new version (Harper, 1962; o.p.) has a completely new look and the text has been revised somewhat, the quiet, contemplative mood is unchanged. A young boy is reluctant for his day to end, but his mother assures him that nothing in the natural world ends. "It begins in another place, or in a different way." She responds with rich verbal images to his questions about where the wind, waves, and clouds go, and about the changes of the seasons. Revisions in the text include more questions about the environment and the elimination of questions about man-made things, such as trains and roads. Vitale's illustrations provide a visual response to the simple questions asked, while adding interesting detail about various forms of underwater life, the elements of storms, and landscapes in other parts of the world. Using paint on wood, the artist includes several different styles of modern art. There are hints of Van Gogh, Chagall, and others. Some scenes are done in the folk-art style the illustrator used so successfully in Jim Aylesworth's The Folks in the Valley (HarperCollins, 1992). Together art and text make this new edition a hymn to the continuity of the natural world.?Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT
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