Brown bear politelyoffers to surrender hisden to nosy skunkTwelve nature-themed haiku accompanied by lush illustrations take the reader from January to December. A great way to introduce children to the traditional Japanese poetry form.';This quietly contemplative collection offers a look at the wonders of nature over the course of a year. . . . Plume's understated yet cheerful artwork brings the selections to life and exemplifies the power and beauty of nature. . . . This charming book is a wonderful supplement for units on weather, seasons, animals, or poetry in general.'School Library Journal';And just in case these wonderfully imagistic poetic kernels or Plume's warm, lushly hued watercolors miss their mark, readers can always turn to Farrar's prose expositions on time and the seasons at the volume's end. But the tight marriage of word and image presented in the majority of these double-page spreads should render that explanatory annex unnecessary.'Kirkus Reviews';Clear, sparse word imagery can be understood by the youngest reader and will encourage older students to read and write poetry.'Library Media Connection';Unlike some haiku, Farrar's creations are accessible and fun for a young audience, and the poetry is extended through the glowing watercolor nature scenes by Caldecott Honor Book illustrator Plume.'BooklistSid Farrar works in publishing and lives with his wife, Wendy, in Minnesota. He has three grown children, Dan, Rose, and Jacob, and a grandson, Vinny. Sid wrote poems for his kids when they were little, including some of the poems in this book. He enjoys the change of seasons on his walks in the woods and around the lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin.Ilse Plume is a collector and illustrator of children's songs and folktales from around the world. Her first book,The Bremen Town Musicians, was a Caldecott Honor book for 1981. She has since created many other beautiful works, includingThe Twelve Days of ChristmasandThe Velveteen Rabbit. She lives in Massachusetts.
