SEASONS

This French import features a black-haired girl who experiences a simple, sensory progress through the seasons. The few sentences per spread are directed to readers. “Can you hear that? You’re not scared, are you? It’s just a summer storm... / the air is warm, but the water is cold.” Each sense is engaged, in summer, in addition to hearing storms and feeling water, readers see fireflies, smell tomato and basil in the garden and taste “sand in your mouth!” The graphically designed, flat-dimension illustrations are both attractive and subtly effective in pairing the senses with the seasons as the girl enjoys the special moments of nature year-round. The simple shapes and graceful lines play with perspective and contrast to enhance the sense of movement while retaining a unity of aesthetic. A sturdier binding than the paper-covered boards would be better for library use, but those families that discover it will find it a refreshing change from glossier, louder American picture books. A sort of visual haiku. (Picture book. 4-7)