Author: Anne Sibley O’ Brien

Illustrator/ Photographer: Susan Gal

Publisher and Year: Abrams Appleseed, 2016

Number of Pages: 42 Pages

Genre: Poetry, Realistic Fiction

This story tells of the reawakening of nature and its inhabitants when the spring season comes around. The snow and cold melt away and the blossoming of flowers, sunshine, and green engulf the world.

The story serves as a window for the audience to show the beauty of the spring season. In the spring, nature and all the animals reawaken to beautiful and lively colors. At the same time, humans can be outdoors once again with fresh air and sunshine on their faces. The book also serves as a mirror to remind the reader how beautiful the spring season is. If humans want to enjoy the beauty depicted in this book, then humans have to care for the Earth and protect it. The book has a unique approach to the distribution of power in the sense that nature has the power. Each year, the Earth allows the spring to bring all plants back to life and animals out of hibernation after a long and cold winter. The author and illustrator focus on the “magic” of the spring season that brings the community of animals and people together to enjoy the wonders of nature. In this story, the artwork speaks more than the text because the elaborate and detailed pictures depict the liveliness spring brings to all. By the artwork of the illustrator, my understanding of culture has broadened to mean more than just people. Nature can be its own culture as well.

The book symbolizes the magic and joy that spring brings to the world. At the same time, it sends a message to current generations to protect the earth and its exquisiteness so that spring can continue to bloom flowers with many bursts of color for future generations to enjoy. Just as the last page of the story shows, nature is able to bring children and adults of all types and cultures to enjoy the magnificence of the season. Nature welcomes all and does not exclude based on race, religion, or gender. The artwork is more important because the text is small, and one page opens to another flap to reveal the artwork of spring season. In addition, the animals are noticeably large and close up, which allows the reader to pay attention to the artwork portrayed in the story. The text is simple with words such as “presto change”, “alakazam”, and “open sesame.” This shows that the season of spring is like a magic trick and can bring wonderful things out of the seemingly impossible. This is emphasized by the artwork being very colorful and busy, just like the season of spring. In the end, the main themes of this book are nature reawakens in the spring, humans must protect the Earth to allow spring to continue, spring brings color to the Earth, and spring weather brings people of all kinds outdoors to come together.