In this Caldecott Honor Book, a year in the life of a child is celebrated with reflective verse and glowing illustrations that portray month by month, the changes in nature and in a family's activities through the seasons. Read aloud, the gentle verses unfold with warmth and sensitivity and, together with the homey paintings, reveal the magic in simple, everyday life.
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PreSchool-Grade 3–John Updike reads each of his 12 poems celebrating everyday life month by month (Holiday House, 1999) at a deliberate, measured pace. Background music plays lightly, changing with each piece to reflect the season, month, holiday, etc. that is being presented. Appropriate sound effects such as crunching snow and geese honking add texture to the even reading. The accompanying book features colorful watercolor illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman portraying the activities of a multiracial Vermont family. The slow-paced narration has little inflection and may not hold the interest of the youngest children. This read-along is a good way to introduce poetry and teach the months of the year.—Heather E. Miller, Homewood Public Library, AL
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Updike's 12 poems celebrate the changing seasons with images that might catch a child's eye. His verses, some of which are very lovely, focus on changes in the natural world (from snow to mud to crocuses) and on celebrations that accompany these changes (Christmas, Valentine's, Fourth of July). Each verse ends with a sound image that connects to the month's poem (such as the sound of fireworks or baseball heard on TV). Updike's presentation is earnest. While he sometimes overemphasizes line breaks in his poems, he has a kind voice and reads carefully, allowing time for children to enjoy the lovely gem-like illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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