And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano

And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano

Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

32 pages - Roaring Book Press

Pub. Date - February 14, 2012

4.5 out of 5 stars

     Sometimes waiting on spring can feel like forever, especially when the colors of winter are all around. Brown, brown, brown everywhere you see. In And Then It’s Spring, a young boy and his loyal dog wait patiently and sometimes not so patiently for their garden to grow. The boy doesn’t understand why the seeds that he has planted won’t grow. Maybe some bears stomped on the seeds? Or some hungry birds found the seeds and decided they would be a perfect snack? No matter what the reason may be, the garden just is not growing. But maybe with a little time, plus some rain and sunshine, things will start to grow?
     And Then It’s Spring is a great resource to explain to children how the beautiful things that spring brings need time to grow. Through sparse text, children will be able to understand that gardening and growing take time, but with the help of rain and the sun, flowers and plants will sprout soon. First time author Julie Fogliano teams up with 2011 Caldecott Medal winner Erin E. Stead to create a striking and sweet story about the changing seasons. This is Stead’s first work since winning in 2011 for A Sick Day for Amos McGee. She uses woodblock printing techniques and pencils to create her stunning illustrations. As the story progresses the scenery and color scheme that Stead uses slowly become lighter, bringing in the slight changes of an oncoming spring.

      I pretty much had a geek out moment when I ran across this book. I love A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Love. That was my Caldecott pick for 2011, so it and Erin E. Stead will always have a special place in my heart. I love the simplicity and overall beauty of her art, which is clearly represented in And Then It's Spring. I would love for this to win the Caldecott for 2013 (I know it is early), but given her 2011 win, I don't think it will happen. Speaking of early front runners for Caldecott, check out Extra Yarn. That is (as of right now) my pick for 2013.

Ooooh and it even has its own book trailer!