NOW I SEE SPRING

A tranquil exaltation of all there is to love about spring.

Simple but profound, this perfectly petite board book is the embodiment of the adage “less is more.” Cataloging the natural world in short phrases, Barnett understands how a child’s world is both expansive (“the house,” “the sky”) and intimate (a downpour-ready “perfect hat,” “me”). Collectively, the list coalesces into a meditative rhyme—tighter in the beginning and end and leading to a satisfying finale: “It’s my favorite time of year.” Each page includes seasonally significant elements, such as buds on “the tree” or sprouts in “the garden.” Klassen’s muted, earthy colors and balanced compositions in his signature watercolor and pencil style intertwine beautifully with Barnett’s contemplative text. There’s a murky, ambient light about the unpretentious depictions of rural landscapes and surrounding the pensive “wise old cat.” Some pages are daringly empty, just birds or swaths of gray-tinted, gossamer sky. Part of a quartet of seasonal books publishing simultaneously, this is a standalone delight, but when all four titles are read together, the set shines all the brighter. Anchored by identical text, the series will have readers poring over the small yet meaningful changes from book to book. A “something red” (a wagon) overflows with spring rain and fall leaves, patiently awaits summer play, and disappears under winter snow. Pleasingly, the light quality alters alongside the passing year. The child who appears throughout has tan skin.

Brilliant; a true “treat (that’s nice and sweet).”