When Will It Be Spring?

The creator of The Dog Who Found Christmas introduces the not-so-sleepy bear cub, Alfie, who searches for signs of spring in his winter woodland home, but when spring in all its glory does finally arrive, someone is caught napping!

Kindergarten-Grade 2?Alfie's mother is trying to settle him down for his winter's sleep. She tells her little bear that when he wakes up, it will be spring. He asks, "And how will I know when it's here?" Mother Bear's answer is, "When the butterflies float by looking for new flowers." The cub wakes up early, mistakes snowflakes for butterflies, and wakes up his mother to show her. She explains that it is still winter, and then tells him of another sign of spring. Alfie continues to misread the wintry scenes until the anticipated season finally arrives. The story is charmingly told and Alfie exhibits all of the enthusiasm of an overly eager young child. Walters's soft, appealing illustrations range from large landscapes to small vignettes of a restless Alfie trying to settle down to sleep. The cleanly designed double-page spreads in season-appropriate colors will catch the eyes of young listeners during storyhour. The pictures effectively show how the cub can make these mistakes, which adds to the fun.?Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Winter approaches. It is time for Alfie the bear cub to start hibernating. `` `When will it be spring?' asked Alfie. `And how will I know when it's here?' '' Mother Bear tells him to look for butterflies; when Alfie awakens and peeks out of the cave, he sees white butterflies everywhere. No, groans his mother, those are snowflakes. She tells him to wait for the birds; he sees icicles hanging from bright leaves and mistakes them for swallows. Alfie mistakes a hunters' fire for the warmth of the sun, and then, when spring finally arrives, goes to sleep among the wildflowers. That's the least original twist; otherwise, this perfectly captures the anxiety of the very young over the waiting process (``Is it morning yet?'' and ``Are we there yet?''). Walter's illustrations are scene-stealers, with their terrific evocations of wild landscapes and the creatures Alfie encounters- -bat, mink, wolf, lynx--during his midwinter investigations. (Picture book. 3-7) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Ages 3^-7. Alfie is a little bear who won't go to bed, and although he tries to settle down to hibernate with his mother, he's just too excited about spring. Each time he peeks out of their den, he thinks he sees signs of spring, but patient Mother Bear shows him that the butterflies he sees are actually snowflakes and that the sun on the horizon is really a hunters' campfire. Walters pictures Alfie frolicking against backgrounds of snow-covered mountains, lush evergreens, and, finally, a meadow full of wildflowers--the perfect spot for Alfie to fall asleep after a wakeful winter. The artwork beautifully contrasts the bright colors of autumn and spring with the grays of winter, offering small visual puns that should fascinate young readers. Since Alfie resembles every child's own teddy, children will readily identify with this amiable and warm Everybear. Shelley Townsend-Hudson