Book Finder

Illustrations evoke the frozen north while the text invites readers to feel more the cold of Alaska. How the weather impacts people and animals is explained in a conversational tone as is the impact of climate change. A comparable exploration, This Place Is Wet (Walker; 0802734006), will be available in May 2013.

One snowboy all alone begins the count to 10 then reverses to count down to where it started. Computer-generated art is colorful with patterned, wintery icons and images. The sound of language and the interesting visuals make the counting — and the book — satisfying.

Colorful mice are shown skating when the outline of a cat appears on the ice. The cat with a hat winds up joining the skating party.  Limited vocabulary is enhanced by vibrant illustrations that together create mild tension to move the tale to its sunny conclusion.

An entrepreneurial sister and her brother decide to make and sell lemonade on a snowy winter day. It’s a chance for Pauline to help John-John learn about money, have a bit of fun, and meet some neighbors. Playful language and quirky illustrations turn a dull day into an adventure.

Bear wants to share his story though his friends are preoccupied with winter preparation. When they gather again at winter’s end, Bear’s friends remind him of his story. Tender text and gentle illustrations by the Caldecott-medal winning husband & wife team is sure to engage.

Could the ears and tail be the frightening fox that Jilli was just reading about? When her dog, Fiercely, takes off is he chasing the fox? Jilli and her friend Jim venture out into the snow to find out in this gently mysterious wintery tale.

Summer, according to Greg, is all about video games and other indoor activities. His mom does not agree, however. Of course, that Greg had a falling out with his best buddy doesn’t help calm his mother’s enthusiasm for getting Greg involved in other things. Another recognizable saga comes to life in word and comics.

Autumn is a season during which there are many changes: leaves turn colors, air becomes cooler, and crops are harvested. These and more seasonal signals are presented in conversational language and vivid photographs. Easy-to-do autumn activities conclude this attractive and appealing book.

A spiffy fox and friends and the alphabet are used to introduce apples — from blossoms, to how they grow, apple varieties, and more. Rich words (such as “deciduous”) are used, briefly but effectively introducing sophisticated concepts. Back matter extends the fun, activities, and information.

Single words in apple red combine with bold black-lined illustrations to tell tales of apples, autumn, seasons, and more. A brief note about apple trees and composting conclude this unique and attractive look focused around one of fall’s favorite fruits.

In this rhyming adventure, Mr. Magee and his dog Dee learn to ski. They didn’t expect to run into a very curious moose, however, which turns their outing a real cliffhanger!

A girl and her family enjoy the pleasures of a summer day, capturing its colors, sounds, and tastes. The girl and her parents have a picnic in the park before night falls with its own special sights and sounds. Soft illustrations and rhyming text combine for the satisfying story until [I] “Turn off the light…/And dream of summer day…and nights.”

Humans are sure to see themselves in the beach vacation taken by a crab family. From playing in the sand to waterpark slides, energetic, humorous cartoon illustrations continue until “Another crustacean vacation is done,/Filled with marvelous memories of fun in the sun.”

A rhyming text and soft, idealized illustrations present a young child’s pleasure in summer activities — from shooting “straight down the slide” to a picnic in the shade with her parents. The small size of the book makes it ideal for sharing one-to-one.

Decked out in rain boots, hat, and umbrella, a child joins her friends to play in the rain. The sound of the rain, mud, and finally sunshine is evoked by alliterative language and wordplay. The joy of getting dirty outdoors concludes with the girl and her dog in the midst of a messy but exuberant bubble bath.

In this version of a familiar tune, Jo MacDonald (the old farmer’s granddaughter) and her cousin plant a Spring garden, watch it grow, observe what visits it, gather its bounty before the cycle ends only to begin again. Engaging illustrations suggest ways to dramatize the yearly cycle, and suggested activities conclude the book.

A young gardener plants seeds and waits for the transformation from late Winter’s mud brown to the lush green of Springtime. Evocative, lyrical text and delicate, expressive illustrations follow the evolution and depict the gradual change — all with understated humor.

This summer vacation is different without father and the oldest Penderwick but offers lots of laughs along the way.

The narrator surveys the garden, counting from one to twelve what grows and lives there. Interesting words combine with stylized illustrations to present an abundant garden.

A dark-haired little girl explores the seasons using her senses in this handsomely illustrated book.

As the narrator and her father ski through the woods, they compare what goes on over and under the snow cover. Wood block illustrations add rich texture to the words.

From Maliseet hunters following moose tracks in the snow in January to a Lakota elder’s winter tales during a cold December evening, this lyrical tribute to American tribal nations cuts across the seasons…Bruchac’s prefatory note introduces the traditions and cycles comprising many Native American lives, and an appended section explains each illustration. Also included are a map locating the various tribal nations and a chart listing the name of each month as it is known by each of three American tribal nations. — Booklist

Izzy and her sister were mountain girls, so one summer the family decided to go see something new — the ocean. The girls are wowed by the sea, the beach, and its treasures — both real and imaginary — as they explore above and beneath the water. Readers will revisit highly detailed, labeled illustration including the well-placed, well devised fold-outs.

The rabbit family’s activity-filled day at the beach begins with packing the car and ends with the young bunnies holding on to the fun with a nighttime game of “Go Fish” while their parents sleep. Readers will recognize the goings-on in the gentle illustrations and rhyming text.