Her return to earth is always accompanied by spring, but when summer fades into fall, Persephone must return to the underworld. Watercolor paintings illustrate the simple retelling of an old tale. This modern allegory assigns human attributes to each month in the year. May ventures out too far but Aunt June stops her gardening long enough to send her along to her father, December. Each month is a family member who ushers her forward on a loving journey through the calendar.
Colorful illustrations capture and combine the details of people and seasons.
Throughout Native American cultures, legends evolved as a way of explaining the mysteries of the earth. Story-poems from thirteen Native American peoples are matched with the thirteen moons of the year and then illustrated with glowing oil paintings. Changes in weather and light begin with raw days of refrigerated paradise in January. And, in November, squirrels are busy packing oak cupboards. A final poem ties the whole year together.