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Reviews

  Kirkus Reviews - June 15, 2006

In this intriguing combination of poetry and nonfiction, each season is given three double-spreads, containing a haiku and a science question-and-answer. In Spring, for example, "Lily hears thunder./'You don't have to yell!' she calls./Still, the sky grumbles." The sidebar asks, "What makes a thunderstorm?" and explains how hot air rising quickly causes the electrical buildup that results in thunder and lightning. The questions are relevant to children ("Why do I sneeze?") and the answers clear and thorough. Lin's vivid gouache illustrations and multi-ethnic characters Lily, Owen, Ki-ki and Kevin are terrifically appealing. If the haikus aren't quite to the level of Jack Prelutsky's If Not For the Cat (2004) or George Shannon's Spring (1996), that's a small quibble given that this has the potential to interest children in both poetry and science.

  Booklist - July 1, 2006

Less workmanlike than Gail Gibbons' The Reasons for the Seasons (1995), this attractive picture book demystifies seasonal changes in a question-and-answer format. Each spread's boldfaced head-scratcher ("Why do my cheeks turn red in the cold?" "What makes a thunderstorm?") receives two smoothly written paragraphs of explanation; an energetic, arrestingly patterned painting featuring one of the book's four child characters; and an interpretive haiku ("Lily hears thunder./ 'You don't have to yell!' she calls./ Still, the sky grumbles"). An excellent opening and closing entry connects the earth's tilt with seasonal conditions around the world. The organization is a bit awkward. Although questions are grouped by seasons, they often apply more broadly, and some entries would have benefited from diagrams. Even so, children won't escape learning a thing or two about the processes described, and many teachers will find inspiration for language-arts projects in the haiku component. For a seasonal celebration in which poetry comes front and center, suggest Bobbi Katz's Once Around the Sun (2006).

  School Library Journal - August 1, 2006

Following a brief explanation of the science behind the seasons, Lin takes readers from autumn to summer, pairing haiku verses on one page with explanations of seasonal changes on the other. For autumn, for example, the text answers the questions, "What makes the wind?" "Why do leaves change color?" and "Why do I see my breath?" Further pairings address frost, suntans, thunderstorms, and pollination, among others. The simple haiku provide an accessible foray into poetry for the youngest readers and, for the most part, the scientific explanations follow suit. While the initial explanation of the Earth's revolution around the sun might have benefited from a more illustrative diagram, the title ultimately delivers. The gouache illustrations have plenty of child appeal and effectively tie together the poetry and the facts. A welcome addition to any collection in need of seasonal titles.

  Science Books and Films - January 1, 2007

This is an unusual book, in that it feels more like two books on different levels that have been combined. The book is designed for children aged 5-8. Three-fourths of each two-page layout is composed of simple haiku poems, complemented by beautiful illustrations, both of which are age appropriate. The other one-fourth of a page consists of higher level text that explains various science concepts related to the theme of the haiku poem. However, some of these explanations (such as the one about differences in air pressure causing winds) will be very difficult for children of the aforementioned age group to understand. At the beginning of the book, there is a full page of text which explains that the tilt of the earth is what causes the seasons. The rest of the book relates more to characteristics of the weather in each season, as well as common curiosities associated with nature during different seasons. The science material is introduced with engaging questions, such as "What makes the wind?" "Why do I see my breath?" and "What makes my cheeks turn red in the cold?" Other topics include the colors of the leaves in the fall, snow, frost, thunderstorms, sneezing, why bees like flowers, humidity, tanning, and fireflies. A glossary at the end of the book assists the reader in understanding some of the more complex science terminology.

One of the strong points of this science narrative in the book is its explanation that some places in the world do not experience four distinct seasons. This book could be used to introduce the seasons to primary school children, with the explanatory text more for teacher reference. Students in third grade should be able to read the explanatory text independently.

  The Old Schoolhouse Magazine - November 1, 2006

This oversized hardcover book is ideal for early to middle elementary-age students. It does a terrific job of including "lessons" on different science-based topics without being heavy-handed. The theme of the book is the seasons of the year, and topics related to each season are covered (e.g., "Why do leaves change color?" "What is snow?")

Each topic is presented on two facing pages. One page is delightfully illustrated and includes a haiku introducing the topic. The other page asks the question and proceeds to answer it in a clear, concise manner that is never condescending but yet is on a level children can absorb. There are also general pages covering such things as "Why do we have seasons?" and "Does everyone have four seasons?" There is a glossary of some of the less-familiar terms used throughout the book.

This would be a great addition to a unit study on seasons (or even poetry given the liberal use of haiku)...Not only did my younger children enjoy the pictures in this volume, but they were learning important science facts at the same time.