Here Comes the Year - Hardcover

Spinelli, Eileen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805066853 ISBN 13: 9780805066852

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2002

Synopsis

A poetic introduction to a year and the seasons.

"I am the January dark
dappled and deep,
teasing you, easing you
out of your cuddle-down sleep."

I am the February frost, the March wind, the April rain . . . I am the year gliding swiftly from month to month, season to season, urging you with me. Won't you come along?

Eileen Spinelli's soothing words and Keiko Narahashi's inviting illustrations make the ups and downs of the weather something to savor rather than endure. One by one the months arrive, and each is a pleasure to meet!

About this title

About the Author

Eileen Spinelli is the author of many children's books. She lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with her husband, author Jerry Spinelli.

Keiko Narahashi is the illustrator of several books for young readers, including Without Wings, Mother, How Can I Fly? by Norma Farber. Ms. Narahashi lives with her family in New York City.

Reviews

reSchool-Grade 3-Each month speaks in a lyrical voice about its own special characteristics. "I am the January dark, dappled and deep .I am the February frost strumming the air .I am the March wind prattling by, pulling the last bit of winter all through the sky ." Some stanzas flow smoothly; in others the rhymes seem forced. Alliteration, descriptive action verbs, and lots of imagery make this title a good choice for reading aloud. However, although the words are appropriate for primary-grade children, the illustrations in gouache and watercolor depict very young children at play. Preschoolers may be attracted to the art, but older children who will best appreciate the language will likely be turned off by it.
Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

With one full-bleed spread for each of the 12 months, Spinelli (When Mama Comes Home Tonight) and Narahashi (I Have a Friend) focus on how that month's personality is manifested in nature. The author chooses one defining characteristic then personifies it in eight active, descriptive lines. For the seventh month, for instance, she chooses a seaside storm: "I am the July thunderstorm/ wild with glee,/ crashing against the silence,/ churning the sea,/ spearing the clouds with lightning, enjoying my game,/ leaving rather abruptly / just as I came." Narahashi brings these words to life with a thrillingly cataclysmic gouache-and-watercolor seascape that swirls with black, grey and green tones. In this calendar year, the March wind offers a last chance to suck on icicles, April rain beckons children to watch its "silvery spray/ puddling streets and sidewalks" and August dazzles with shooting stars, "spiraling toward your window,/ amazing your eyes." Lyrical and contemplative, this volume may well inspire readers to take a closer look at the world around them and to consider other events in nature that define their experiences. Ages 4-7.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4-6. Zolotow's Over and Over (1957) followed the cycle of a year, holiday by holiday. This picture book takes the same path, but month by month. From January to December, each month is personified in an eight-line, first-person verse illustrated with a single painting that stretches across a wide, double-page spread. Spinelli tosses sensory images and sounds as playfully as a word juggler. One entry reads, "I am the November leaves / fluttering down, / a crunchy rumpus of shades and shapes / to carpet the town, / a gold and crimson flotilla / sailing the shallow brook, / a cozy basket of autumn / to press inside a book." Narahashi's well-composed, watercolor-and-gouache paintings usually focus on a subject of perennial interest to young children--other kids engaged in interesting activities, such as poking around in the gutter with sticks, picnicking, or playing at the beach. An attractive way to bring the year to life. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0805066853
• ISBN 13: 9780805066852
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Narahashi Keiko
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32