Tag Spring

Wanna See A Llama? / We’re Going on an Egg Hunt

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Wanna See A Llama?
Simon Philip and Ian Smith
Oxford Children’s Books

In this equally entertaining sequel to Wanna See A Penguin? the same young animal expert, so she says, now includes llamas in her field of expertise. She invites her friend to accompany her on a llama-spotting expedition around the city. As they walk, they encounter all manner of creatures – humped, scaly, furry with spots, shelled,

very long-necked, soft and woolly, but a llama? Not around here declares our self-dubbed expert who evidently hasn’t noticed any of the posters advertising a parade as she leads her long suffering friend who identifies each animal, on a wild-llama chase.
Asserting on the penultimate spread, ‘There can’t be any llamas round here’ our leader heads homewards.

Young listeners will delight in the final spread whereon Ian shows a Llama Parade just behind the two children. Those same listeners will also have enjoyed spotting a llama (or two) in the background of every other double page illustration.

We’re Going on an Egg Hunt
Goldie Hawk and Angie Rozelaar
Nosy Crow

Unashamedly using the nursery favourite ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ as the basis, Goldie Hawk sends her three young child protagonists, springing into action in search of eggs, baskets in hand. As they walk, the children encounter pecking, clucking hens, munching-crunching bunny rabbits, hopping frogs,

rustling-swishing plants until eventually – yippee! They discover ten eggs. Having loaded their baskets, it’s time to make the return journey back the way they came, arriving just in time to take part in a joyful Easter parade.

Angie Rozelaar’s vibrant scenes with splashes of day-gio pink and luminous green convey the freshness and joy of springtime and of the search. Just right for sharing with very young children as spring and Easter approach. I suggest buying to give instead of an Easter egg; its pleasures will last SO much longer.

Fletcher and the Caterpillar

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Fletcher and the Caterpillar
Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke
Graffeg

For those, like this reviewer, meeting the main protagonist for the first time, Fletcher is an inquisitive little fox, and a bit of a worrier. His new story starts in the spring with the observant vulpine noticing that while everything else in the wood is growing, there’s one green leaf that is actually getting smaller. On investigation, he discovers a tiny caterpillar having a nibble. Friendly as always Fletcher, with the aid of his other animal friends, tries to involve the caterpillar in such activities as racing, boating

and hide and seek, but all the caterpillar is interested in, is munching.

One day though, the munching stops; the little creature is still and silent. Fletcher’s Mum reassures him that it’s normal caterpillar behaviour

but the cub is still concerned for its well-being, watching over it until he falls fast asleep.

Overnight a change occurs mystifying Fletcher but again his Mum tells him it’s what caterpillars do and soon he’ll have a wonderful surprise.

After a long, long wait, sure enough he does.

With Julia Rawlinson’s sweet, gentle nature narrative she paints a picture of friendship and of spring; a picture that is echoed in Tiphanie Beeke’s soft, textured, sun-infused art, which shows so well the colours and joys of its seasonal setting and one of nature’s wonderful mysteries.

In Blossom

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In Blossom
Yooju Cheon
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Spring is in the air. A gentle breeze is blowing and blossoms are blooming as Cat sits down on a bench beneath a tree with a picnic basket.

Singing a little song, she begins to eat her lunch.

Soon after, along comes Dog with his book.

Cat makes room for him; he sits down and starts reading.

Suddenly the breeze blows a singe petal onto Cat’s nose causing a tickle, a sniff,

and a ‘Poof!’

The petal drifts across onto Dog’s nose. Another tickle, a sniff and Poof! …

A little later, Cat’s offer to share her lunch is accepted and thus, one assumes a friendship begins to blossom.

Yooju Cheon’s telling is spare and it’s definitely her exquisite, delicate inky illustrations that steal the show here. Look out for another developing friendship between two little birds as well.

Short and sweet and beautifully expressive sums up this gentle offering from an author/illustrator who is new to me.

Welcome Spring

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Spring
David A. Carter
Abrams Appleseed
Spring quite simply explodes into life in this small, vibrantly coloured pop-up book.
As the rain falls pitter-pat rippling the surface of the pond, tadpoles emerge to take their chance as the koi carp swim around and a dragonfly hovers.

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Away from the pond a cherry tree bursts into bloom and tree frogs croak to acknowledge the rain as it waters the blossoms that give food for the bees.

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The flowers are alive with visitors and an adult bird feeds its young.
Half a dozen spreads, each one a visual treat, with a brief accompanying text and lots of labels, some of which are indicative of the book’s US origins, there’s plenty to enjoy and discuss with young children herein.

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Abracadabra, It’s Spring
Anne Sibley O’Brien and Susan Gai
Abrams Appleseed
‘Sun warms a patch of snow.
Hocus-pocus!
Where did it go?’
Thus begins a simply gorgeous evocation of the arrival of spring as we watch bulbs popping up …

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and opening …

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pussy willows bursting out, leaves unfurling, birds arriving and nesting, eggs …

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hatching,

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butterflies emerging and blossoms opening to adorn the trees. It’s time to shed those heavy winter boots and embrace all that’s bright and new now that winter’s gone.
Both words and pictures are uplifting. The text is a mix of the gentle poetic and contrasting lively effervescent magical invocation orchestrating the change: take for instance:
‘Grey cocoons/hide a surprise. Abba zaba!/ (open gatefold)/Butterflies!’

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There is so much to see in the illustrations each of which has a gatefold opening. Every spread unfolds to reveal an aspect of spring’s new life in dazzling layered collages alive with colour and creatures.
In addition to being a delight to share, this will surely inspire children to get creating themselves.

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