Harvest
reS-Gr 2-This beautiful, earthy book is a child's hymn to harvest time. A young girl celebrates it all in one day, and thinks back on the efforts of both the gardeners and the plants. She picks, digs, and gathers fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers with great care and appreciation; then she and her mother bake, store, and can, getting ready for winter. The watercolor-and-gouache paintings, mostly double-page spreads, are rich in autumn colors. Each picture is framed by a border that echoes some of the plants within; these appear as if behind a scrim, reminding readers that the colors will fade and the plants will die down as the circle of seasons continues. The last painting shows the narrator asleep in her cozy bed as snowflakes fall outside; her cat, who has appeared in nearly every picture as a quiet helper, is also asleep. A bouquet of dried flowers and a pail of small pumpkins decorate the room. Under the scene is the last bit of text: "We have harvested our garden. All year we have worked so hard. All year our garden has worked so hard. Now it is time to rest."-Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, MECopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.