Spring Is Here/Llego La Primavera

Starred review from June 1, 2006
PreS -This clever story takes readers throughout the course of a year using a calf as a backdrop. The snow-white animal is introduced on the first page. As the text mentions the melting snows, patches of brown representing the earth appear on its back. As viewers zoom in on the earth, those patches become covered with sprouts of new grass and then blooming flowers, a lush grassy meadow, and storm-tossed fields, until the lamb disappears entirely. It is only with the return of winter, quiet and white, that its outline once again emerges, as a full-grown cow. Gomi -s illustrations are elegant in their simplicity. He effectively incorporates touches of color -the tender greens of spring; the blues, black, and grays of a summer tempest; the russet browns of fall; and the whites that herald winter. Children will be captivated by his clever use of human figures and animals in each scene.

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2007
Three- and four-word sentences describe the world as the seasons change. While simple, some of the thoughts, such as "the world is hushed," have a quality that transcends the limited-syllable text and makes the Spanish translation artistically successful. Gomi's visual ideas are also terrific, especially the snowscape that turns into a cow on the following page.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)