paw in hand,
the two of you set off.
"It is time," sing the
buds on the trees.
"It is time, " echoes
the breeze.
"It is time," hums
the bear.
"It is time."
Can't say NO to a bear with an invitation? You are one of the lucky ones!
In lyric text we, along with a small child who lives near the woods, are invited to accompany a bear who tells us 'it is time.' Readers will wonder 'time for what?' as I did.
Adventurous and trusting, you hear a cacophony of sounds:
"Rap, bap, tap,
crunch, scrunch.
crinkle, crackle, CRACK!"
Taking the offered paw, you trudge into the woods with your ursine companion, using your senses to understand what the bear means when he assures that 'it is time.' He makes some bear sounds, but says nothing else. A rabbit invites himself to come along as you walk the trail, all the while listening for something special. Joined by a squirrel and a beaver, you continue your journey.
As you go, you take note of the sounds, the sights (buds on the trees, nestlings, and then a huge egg).
It has a cracked shell and is responsible for all of the sounds you have been hearing as you walked together toward it. Suddenly, it bursts open!
What a lovely surprise awaits ... and you agree with the bear that you knew what was coming.
Imaginative and inviting, this is a perfect book to add to your cache used to introduce each new season as it arrives. It is a lovely, onomatopoeic addition to that collection. John Shelley uses India ink and watercolor to create its detailed accompanying images to Ms. Bauer's text. Appealing and alluring, they offer a sense of peaceful discovery.
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