Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

The changes from winter into spring—especially in the northeastern U.S.—are illustrated with numerous colored photographs.After a title page sporting brilliant purple petals against wide green leaves, the first double-page spread shows the pale face of a child, wistfully looking out from a frost-framed, droplet-splattered window. The large-print text says: "Winter. / Waiting… / for nature / to wake up." The pages that follow show the annual awakening of flora, fauna, and land in a temperate climate—probably the author's native Massachusetts, hinted at by a wide maple tree adorned with sap-collection buckets. Excellent layout ensures that simple sentences are surrounded by striking photographs to support the basic science of seasonal change. Among the vibrant plants and baby animals are children whose appearances are diverse in skin, hair, and eye color but alike in their exuberance at being outdoors in the spring. The children are generally gardening or tending to animals in sunshine, with care taken to include one youngster reveling in spring rain. Plants and critters, both domestic and wild, are as vividly portrayed as the children. The text uses a well-chosen array of verbs, alliteration, and basic scientific vocabulary. The final double-page spread, showing three brown-skinned children romping after a kite against a bright blue-and-green landscape, is a perfect accompaniment to the gentle reminder that spring leads into summer. Informative fun; engaging photography. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 4-7)

ALA Booklist (Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

This picture book is a beautiful, lyrical salute to spring. Crisp, vibrant photos align directly with short, simple sentences, which are very effective despite often consisting of just a noun and a verb: "Daffodils dance. Dandelions dot. Forsythia shouts!" The photos include centered close-ups of plants, bugs, and baby animals, so that very young readers will have no problem identifying each subject ("Salamanders emerge. Snakes slither"). There are also photos of young children from diverse backgrounds enjoying spring activities, again with close alignment to the text (pictures of three kids with their noses buried in blossoms accompanies "You can smell that spring is in the air"). Every page offers a new collection of vivid images, each one designed to capture readers' attention. An excellent selection for preschool storytime, due to the visual, written, and auditory reinforcement of each concept. Emerging readers will appreciate the simple sentences, oversize text, and highlighted vocabulary words. No matter what age, this is sure to delight anyone yearning for spring.

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Well-known photographer Rotner captures the elements of spring in her typical big, bright, and beautiful color photographs. The focus is on nature, from plants and flowers to bugs and animals. A variety of children are shown enjoying the outdoors, as the text clearly explains--and joyfully celebrates--the changes that spring brings. Glos.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

The changes from winter into spring—especially in the northeastern U.S.—are illustrated with numerous colored photographs.After a title page sporting brilliant purple petals against wide green leaves, the first double-page spread shows the pale face of a child, wistfully looking out from a frost-framed, droplet-splattered window. The large-print text says: "Winter. / Waiting… / for nature / to wake up." The pages that follow show the annual awakening of flora, fauna, and land in a temperate climate—probably the author's native Massachusetts, hinted at by a wide maple tree adorned with sap-collection buckets. Excellent layout ensures that simple sentences are surrounded by striking photographs to support the basic science of seasonal change. Among the vibrant plants and baby animals are children whose appearances are diverse in skin, hair, and eye color but alike in their exuberance at being outdoors in the spring. The children are generally gardening or tending to animals in sunshine, with care taken to include one youngster reveling in spring rain. Plants and critters, both domestic and wild, are as vividly portrayed as the children. The text uses a well-chosen array of verbs, alliteration, and basic scientific vocabulary. The final double-page spread, showing three brown-skinned children romping after a kite against a bright blue-and-green landscape, is a perfect accompaniment to the gentle reminder that spring leads into summer. Informative fun; engaging photography. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 4-7)