Spring Thaw
PreSchool-Grade 3-Evocative language showcases the beginning of spring in this organic view of the natural world. The thaw "begins with a warm wind late at night, sighing through the hemlock trees" and continues through other snapshot images of nature, until finally the farmer and his son collect the buckets of sap from the maples and pause to feel the sunlight upon their faces. Schuett's captivating illustrations are the real stars here, as they shift from the deep blue of winter to the warm golden tones of spring. Various textures are incorporated into the scenes, giving them an almost tactile look. In addition, the art often offers unusual perspectives: a slanted tableau featuring empty boots indoors, a bird's-eye view of the man and the boy as they scatter crumbs for their feathered friends, and, in the end, a human's-eye view of these same people. The text provides a soothing background to this lyrical montage of images, from the raccoon peeking its nose out of its den to the tiny streams of water running from the melting rooftop snow like a "curtain of crystal beads." The book works beautifully as a mood piece and the topic makes it a must for any collection. Pair it with Reeve Lindbergh's North Country Spring (Houghton, 1997) to usher in the season.Kathleen M. Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg, MDCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.