Comments on: Review of the Day: Sharing the Seasons selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

By: Rebecca kai dotlich

Rebecca kai dotlich — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 03:27:14 +0000

I am proud as a prank myself right now.
Proud to be a part of this wonderful book
and now this review. Truly a gift.
Thank you Lee, thank you Elizabeth.

By: Elizabeth Bird

Elizabeth Bird — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 05:37:34 +0000

Boy, that's a good question. Of course there's this year's Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke where she thinks endlessly about what snow might be. But I cannot think of a book that talks about all the seasons in that way. Not a one. Another gap that needs to be filled.

By: David B

David B — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:05:26 +0000

Just out of curiosity- are there books about the seasons that reflect the experience of children who don’t live in climates where winter=snow, fall=changing leaves, etc.?

My wife, for example, grew up on the West Coast (and yes, they do have seasons there), and winter meant rain and the idea of a summer rain storm didn’t match with experience (she was overwhelmed by her first Midwestern rainstorm). She grew up feeling really annoyed with all of the season books that didn’t describe anything like her experience of the seasons.

By: Elizabeth Bird

Elizabeth Bird — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:54:29 +0000

Kate, you don’t know how desperately I wanted to work Zolotow’s book into the review. I had it there but eventually had to cut it out since it didn’t quite work with what I was saying. I’m so glad you’ve mentioned it yourself. It’s one of the rare books for kids I’ve purchased on my own.

James, I need to see this Muller book of which you speak. To the library!

By: Kate Coombs

Kate Coombs — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:45:53 +0000

How about Charlotte Zolotow’s early reader, Seasons: A Book of Poems? And Barbara Esbensen’s Swing Around the Sun. Interesting about David Diaz’s art–I think Sharing the Seasons is gorgeous!

By: Richard Wing

Richard Wing — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:28:43 +0000

This is one of the best books of poetry I’ve seen in eons. Each poem, each page,
sparkles. Reviewers got this one right with its STARRED reviews. It’s a masterful
volume.

By: James Kennedy

James Kennedy — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:37:06 +0000

This might be too early for pre-school, but for pre-pre-pre-school — say, 15 months — which is, coincidentally, my daughter’s age — the Gerda Muller books on the seasons can’t be beat (they have names like “Spring,” “Summer,” “Winter,” etc).

No words. No story. Just beautiful pictures of scenes from the season. I put Lucy on my lap and we look at it together, and I explain what’s happening in every picture in my own words.

But this might be too young for what you’re shooting for…