Synopses & Reviews
February is time for snuggling . . . July is time for fireworks . . . This beautifully formatted picture book takes young readers through every month of the year as a little boy, girl, dog, and cat celebrate each month with unique, playful images that convey what makes it special. With gentle pastel illustrations in sequential panels, A Year with Friends teaches young readers about the seasons and the delightful ways they can be experienced with those you love.
Praise for A Year with Friends:
"This expressive childhood tribute to the joys of nature throughout the year warmly conveys the message that anytime is best when shared with a friend."
and#151;Kirkus Reviews
"A beautiful, fun, and minimalist journey through the seasons...The format is varied, with panels, spreads, and full-page pictures, and the art is delightful. Youngsters are sure to take pleasure in following the charactersand#8217; activities throughout the year."
and#151;School Library Journal
"In this pleasing concept book, husband-and-wife author-illustrator team Seven and Christy introduce two children enjoying typical activities throughout each month of the year."
and#151;Booklist
"This beautiful new picture book will be a great way to start the New Year in classrooms with young readers. Illustrated with soft shades and panels across double page spreads, the story line alternates between a young girl and a young boy having fun each month of the year."
and#151;Reading Today Online
"Rather than mentioning specific holidays by name, the book hints at festive occasions...keeping the emphasis on the generous, sociable, and downright fun things friends do together. Christy's illustrations provide humor, energy, and entertainment with year-round appeal."
and#151;Publishers Weekly
Review
A 2010 Caldecott Honor Book
andquot;It's wonderfully strange to read of colors with sounds, smells and tastes.andquot;--New York Times Book Review
andquot;A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotionsandquot;--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
andquot;This book has a freshness and visual impact all its own, and it will inspire a rainbow of uses.andquot;--The Bulletin, starred review
andquot;Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration.andquot;--Horn Book, starred review
andquot;As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page, do sing.andquot;--Booklist, starred review
Review
"A real strength of the collection is its engagement of the imagination. . . . A thrilling integration of verse and image, motivating all to serious fun." --
Kirkus , starred review
and#160;
"From running through sprinklers to blowing bubbles to catching fireflies, this book has 18 short poems about active, imaginative play in summer weather. . . . An appealing book." --School Library Journal
and#160;
"Fun for sharing and acting out many times over." --Booklist
and#160;
"This could be effective in an April unit celebrating both spring and National Poetry Month, and it could also give kids some much needed memories of warmth and sunshine during the winter--or even provide them with the impetus to get off the couch and get outside." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Singer captures the inherent exultations of being young and carefree in the outdoors. . . .Well worth the exercise." --Kirkus Online
"Pham's grainy mixed-media scenes could take place anytime in the past 50 years, emphasizing the timeless (some might say lost) art of outdoor activity."--Publishers Weekly
Review
"A glorious visual meditation on light, color and home for even the smallest child and artist."and#8212;Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"It's Tusa's portrait of the ideal childhood, liberated from the tyranny of schedules and achievement....inward-turned imaginers will recognize themselves."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"Like a swing on an autumn day, this gentle, contemplative title invites viewers to escape and soar."and#8212;Booklist
Synopsis
Swing high into the sky and explore a world full of earthy and elegant colors with the girl in this story as she experiences nature with a twist of her imagination.and#160;After sheand#8217;s ventured far away, she floats gently back down and heads home, where her mother is waiting.
Tricia Tusaand#8217;s lyrical story and rich, sweeping art createand#160;a stylish swirl of charm and adventure, perfect for anyone whoand#8217;s ever sat on a swing and daydreamed.
Synopsis
With original and spot-on perceptions, Joyce Sidman's poetry brings the colors of the seasons to life in a fresh light, combining the senses of sight, sound, smell and taste. In this Caldecott Honor book, illustrator Pam Zagarenski's interpretations go beyond the concrete, allowing us to not just see color, but feel it.
Synopsis
A paean to play from an award-winning poet and a New York Times best-selling illustrator. and#160;The trappings of childhood change from generation to generation, but there are some timeless activities that every kid loves. Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham celebrate these universal types of play, from organized games such as hide-and-seek and hopscotch to imaginative play such as making mud soup or turning a stick into a magic wand. Lyrical poems and bold illustrations capture the energy of a group of children in one neighborhood as they amuse themselves over the course of a summer day. At a time when childhood obesity rates are soaring and money is tight for many families, here is a book that invites readers to join in the fun of active play with games that cost nothing.
Synopsis
Aand#160;girl travels through an imaginative world of colors by way of a swing.
About the Author
Swing high into the sky and explore a world full of earthy and elegant colors with the girl in this story as she experiences nature with a twist of her imagination.and#160;After sheand#8217;s ventured far away, she floats gently back down and heads home, where her mother is waiting.
Tricia Tusaand#8217;s lyrical story and rich, sweeping art createand#160;a stylish swirl of charm and adventure, perfect for anyone whoand#8217;s ever sat on a swing and daydreamed.
"A glorious visual meditation on light, color and home for even the smallest child and artist."and#8212;Kirkus Reviews,starred review
"It's Tusa's portrait of the ideal childhood, liberated from the tyranny of schedules and achievement....inward-turned imaginers will recognize themselves."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"Like a swing on an autumn day, this gentle, contemplative title invites viewers to escape and soar."and#8212;BooklistTRICIA TUSA has written and illustrated many wonderful picture books, includingIn a Blue Roomby Jim Averbeck;Mrs. Spitzer's Gardenby Edith Pattou;and#160;The Magic Hatand#160;by Mem Fox,and#160;which was choosen as an IRA-CBC Children's Choice; andThe End of the Beginningby Avi. She lives with her family in Galisteo, New Mexico.