"So I look out for signs of winter.
One by one, they come, just as my sister said they would.
There's a chill in the air.
The trees begin to lose
their leaves."
The little boy who narrates this story loves EVERYTHING about summer. It's hard to get him out of the swimming pool, The offer of an ice cream cone often works. As big sisters love to do, she warns him to enjoy the warmth and sunshine while he can - summer will soon be over. What does that mean, he wonders. He asks; she explains that winter is coming.
"Then winter comes. It will be dark all the time.
The cold rain will turn to snow. You'll be stuck
on the sofa for days. Everything will be SO dull,
and you'll be SO cold, you wouldn't dream of
eating ice cream."
Sounds awful, doesn't it? The signs are there. Soon, it is winter. Trading hot chocolate for ice cream, he finds it is not nearly as bad as expected. He likes the fun it offers. While making the best of it, he expresses concern that it might not last.
Ms. Ciraolo creates seasonal settings in pencil and watercolor, and shows the beauty of each. Our narrator's face and body language are filled with expression and anticipation as winter shows its best side. After 2 days of snowfall in British Columbia brought great delight and outdoor exhaustion to my granddaughters, they would willingly agree with his take on the changing seasons.
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