Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 1995)

Starred Review At the close of a wonderful day, a young boy asks his mother why the day must end. Nothing ends, he is told. It begins in another place or in a different way. In this revised and newly illustrated edition of Zolotow's 1962 picture book, the boy's gently probing questions are answered and nature's never-ending cycle of renewal is revealed. Without compromising the ethereal quality of the original book, extraneous text has been eliminated and some of the words and sentences have been rearranged to give the story a smoother flow. Exquisite paintings by Italian illustrator Vitale replace the black-and-white drawings of the first edition. The full-color scenes, painted on wood, gloriously depict heaven and earth and give concrete meaning to abstract concepts. Not only wonderful for lap sharing, this beautiful book will also be a rich supplement for a science unit on the elements or the seasons. (Reviewed July 1995)

Horn Book

A perfect selection for bedtime reading, the narrative is designed in a question-and-answer format as a small boy asks his mother about natural phenomena. From her answers the child deduces that 'nothing ends'--a fitting, reassuring conclusion affirming the cycle of life. The tone is elegantly matched with glowing paintings executed on wood; their texture adds depth to the linear definition of the stylized shapes. Review 2/76.

Kirkus Reviews

A shortened, reillustrated version of a classic picture book (originally illustrated by Howard Knotts, 1975): A child asks Why does the day have to end?'' His mother replies,So night can begin.'' A chain of questions and answers follows, taking readers across the world and through the seasons. Zolotow makes no substantial changes; she removes a few phrases to tighten the text. Vitale contributes a set of lyrical, simply drawn scenes in subtly blended colors. These are so thinly applied that they are translucent; the grain of the plywood on which they are painted becomes part of the design. A fine, seamless new match of text and art. (Picture book. 4-7)"

School Library Journal (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

PreS-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