Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Summer is Summer
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Henry Holt, 2006 ISBN: 978-0805074444
Sometimes we like to imagine what it will be like when summer comes. Images pop into our heads of bright blue skies, blooming flowers, and the sparkle of the sun on the sea. We can almost hear the buzzing of the bees and the crack of a baseball as it connects with the bat. We can almost smell the tanginess of lemonade and the crisp sweetness of a fresh cold watermelon slice.
In this very unique picture book the authors have brought together a collection of images and memories to create a warm, salty, sandy, sticky, grassy portrait of a summer as seen through the eyes of children. A minimal rhyming text with plenty of repetition give the text a sing-song quality which makes this book perfect for reading aloud. Watercolor paintings fill every double page spread with sharp and often luminous color. The artist makes dramatic shifts, showing large objects in the foreground set against wide and expansive backgrounds. Her folkloric style perfectly captures the magical and nostalgic feeling that runs throughout the book.
