{"id":2015215553,"title":"Our Seasons","handle":"our-seasons","description":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/grace-lin\" title=\"Grace Lin bio\"\u003eGrace Lin\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/ranida-t-mckneally\" title=\"Ranida McKneally bio\"\u003eRanida McKneally\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/grace-lin\" title=\"Grace Lin\"\u003eGrace Lin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePunching the blue sky,\u003cbr\u003e The wind shows off its power.\u003cbr\u003e Ki-Ki almost flies.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthor and illustrator Grace Lin joins science writer and editor Ranida McKneally in a celebration of the seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrace Lin’s bright, bold illustrations and accompanying haikus, revel in the beauties and joys the four seasons offer. Ki-Ki and her friends experience autumn, winter, spring, and summer together, each season focusing on a different child.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach page includes the scientific explanation of how seasons affect weather, nature, and people. Why do leaves turn color in the fall? Why do we sneeze? What makes a thunderstorm? Why do fireflies glow? These and other questions are answered in clear, concise writing, appropriate for young science enthusiasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis celebration inspires young readers to experience the world around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge-books.com\/previews\/our-seasons\/our_seasons_preview1.html\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead an excerpt!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Spring Blossoms\" href=\"978-1-57091-361-7\"\u003eSpring Blossoms\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Leaf Jumpers\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/leaf-jumpers\"\u003eLeaf Jumpers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-spread.jpg?7315503594676812987\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrace Lin, author and illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrace Lin grew up in Upstate New York with her parents and two sisters. While the other sisters became scientists, Grace became an artist. Surprisingly enough, being an artist was not Grace's first choice. She first dreamed of being a champion ice skater, and drew many pictures of herself twirling and dancing on the ice. Unfortunately, Grace had neither the talent nor coordination to make it to skating stardom. However, the pictures she drew of herself held much promise and quickly became Grace's career focus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/grace-lin\" title=\"Grace Lin bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRanida T. McKneally, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRanida T. McKneally is an educational writer and editor. She lives in Arlington, Massachusetts. This is her first book for children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/ranida-t-mckneally\" title=\"Ranida McKneally bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Ranida McKneally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eABC Best Books for Children\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCBC Choices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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 \u003ci\u003eIf Not For the Cat\u003c\/i\u003e (2004) or George Shannon's \u003ci\u003eSpring\u003c\/i\u003e (1996), that's a small quibble given that this has the potential to interest children in both poetry and science.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLess workmanlike than Gail Gibbons' \u003ci\u003eThe Reasons for the Seasons\u003c\/i\u003e (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 on 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-cvr.jpg?7315503594676812987\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-hires.zip?7315503594676812987\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-poster.pdf?7315503594676812987\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Literacy Poster\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-361-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book PDF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-027-0\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2015-09-07T11:22:00-04:00","created_at":"2015-09-07T10:57:53-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Diversity","Browse by Subject_Poetry \u0026 Language","Browse by Subject_Science \u0026 Nature","Browse by Subject_Story Time \u0026 Play","fall"],"price":795,"price_min":795,"price_max":795,"available":false,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":6415668865,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"13617","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":false,"name":"Our Seasons - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":795,"weight":187,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":0,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"deny","barcode":"978-1-57091-361-7","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/our-seasons-cover.jpg?v=1586800723"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/our-seasons-cover.jpg?v=1586800723","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Our Seasons book cover","id":2481633132623,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.826,"height":726,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/our-seasons-cover.jpg?v=1586800723"},"aspect_ratio":0.826,"height":726,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/our-seasons-cover.jpg?v=1586800723","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/grace-lin\" title=\"Grace Lin bio\"\u003eGrace Lin\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/ranida-t-mckneally\" title=\"Ranida McKneally bio\"\u003eRanida McKneally\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/grace-lin\" title=\"Grace Lin\"\u003eGrace Lin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePunching the blue sky,\u003cbr\u003e The wind shows off its power.\u003cbr\u003e Ki-Ki almost flies.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthor and illustrator Grace Lin joins science writer and editor Ranida McKneally in a celebration of the seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrace Lin’s bright, bold illustrations and accompanying haikus, revel in the beauties and joys the four seasons offer. Ki-Ki and her friends experience autumn, winter, spring, and summer together, each season focusing on a different child.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach page includes the scientific explanation of how seasons affect weather, nature, and people. Why do leaves turn color in the fall? Why do we sneeze? What makes a thunderstorm? Why do fireflies glow? These and other questions are answered in clear, concise writing, appropriate for young science enthusiasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis celebration inspires young readers to experience the world around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge-books.com\/previews\/our-seasons\/our_seasons_preview1.html\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead an excerpt!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Spring Blossoms\" href=\"978-1-57091-361-7\"\u003eSpring Blossoms\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Leaf Jumpers\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/leaf-jumpers\"\u003eLeaf Jumpers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-spread.jpg?7315503594676812987\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrace Lin, author and illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrace Lin grew up in Upstate New York with her parents and two sisters. While the other sisters became scientists, Grace became an artist. Surprisingly enough, being an artist was not Grace's first choice. She first dreamed of being a champion ice skater, and drew many pictures of herself twirling and dancing on the ice. Unfortunately, Grace had neither the talent nor coordination to make it to skating stardom. However, the pictures she drew of herself held much promise and quickly became Grace's career focus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/grace-lin\" title=\"Grace Lin bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRanida T. McKneally, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRanida T. McKneally is an educational writer and editor. She lives in Arlington, Massachusetts. This is her first book for children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/ranida-t-mckneally\" title=\"Ranida McKneally bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Ranida McKneally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eABC Best Books for Children\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCBC Choices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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 \u003ci\u003eIf Not For the Cat\u003c\/i\u003e (2004) or George Shannon's \u003ci\u003eSpring\u003c\/i\u003e (1996), that's a small quibble given that this has the potential to interest children in both poetry and science.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLess workmanlike than Gail Gibbons' \u003ci\u003eThe Reasons for the Seasons\u003c\/i\u003e (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 on 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-cvr.jpg?7315503594676812987\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-hires.zip?7315503594676812987\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/our-seasons-poster.pdf?7315503594676812987\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Literacy Poster\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-361-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book PDF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-027-0\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Our Seasons

By: Grace Lin and Ranida McKneally / Illustrated by: Grace Lin

Punching the blue sky,
The wind shows off its power.
Ki-Ki almost flies.

Author and illustrator Grace Lin joins science writer and editor Ranida McKneally in a celebration of the seasons.

Grace Lin’s bright, bold illustrations and accompanying haikus, revel in the beauties and joys the four seasons offer. Ki-Ki and her friends experience autumn, winter, spring, and summer together, each season focusing on a different child.

Each page includes the scientific explanation of how seasons affect weather, nature, and people. Why do leaves turn color in the fall? Why do we sneeze? What makes a thunderstorm? Why do fireflies glow? These and other questions are answered in clear, concise writing, appropriate for young science enthusiasts.

This celebration inspires young readers to experience the world around them.

Read an excerpt!

Maximum quantity available reached.

Grace Lin, author and illustrator

Grace Lin grew up in Upstate New York with her parents and two sisters. While the other sisters became scientists, Grace became an artist. Surprisingly enough, being an artist was not Grace's first choice. She first dreamed of being a champion ice skater, and drew many pictures of herself twirling and dancing on the ice. Unfortunately, Grace had neither the talent nor coordination to make it to skating stardom. However, the pictures she drew of herself held much promise and quickly became Grace's career focus.

Read more about Grace.


Ranida T. McKneally, author

Ranida T. McKneally is an educational writer and editor. She lives in Arlington, Massachusetts. This is her first book for children.

Read more about Ranida McKneally.

  • ABC Best Books for Children
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Kirkus Reviews

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

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 on 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.

School Library Journal

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.

Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-57091-361-7

E-book PDF
ISBN: 978-1-60734-027-0

Ages: 5-8
Page count: 32
8 1/2 x 11