In for Winter, Out for Spring - Hardcover

Arnold Adoff is the recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children for the body of his work. He lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio. To learn more, please visit www.arnoldadoff.com.

PreSchool-Grade 3-- These 28 poems celebrate family life and the cycle of the seasons. Rebecca, the young black narrator, lives in a rural area with her parents and older brother, Aaron; her joy in her family and in the world around her permeates the pages. Poems are about gardening, finding a stray puppy, the weather, the pleasure of walking barefoot in freshly mown grass, and other seasonal events. Activities described are consciously nonsexist: Mom mows and Dad bakes. Adoff begins and ends with the family settling in for winter. Words and letters within words spread and compress across the generously sized pages; a few of the groupings seem contrived. All words are capitalized, which makes for a staccato reading. While the meanings are readily accessible, it will take sophisticated readers to read these poems alone. Pinkney's realistic watercolors stick closely to the text, fleshing out the words with carefully observed natural scenes. A double-page spread that contrasts fireflies with the end-of-summer tomatoes is particularly striking. Page design is nicely varied. These poems would be best read aloud and discussed. --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier
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