  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 03/01/2019 *Starred Review* In this charming, beautifully illustrated collection, arranged by season, Salas employs a form she calls “riddle-ku,” a first-person haiku that hints at the speaker, inviting readers to guess its identity, typically an object or being associated with a season. For example, “Spring” opens with “I am a wind bird, / sky skipper, diamond dipper, / DANCING on your string,” and López’s accompanying illustration depicts a soaring, large, red, bird-shaped kite guided by a boy holding the string below. “Summer” showcases fireflies, baseball, and fireworks. “Fall” features a school building (“my first-day outfit / is fresh paint and polished floors— / here come my new friends!”), apple picking, and jack-o’-lanterns, while “Winter” includes snow, ice skates, and a hibernating animal: “In fur coat and cave / I exhale white clouds of breath, / DREAM of sun . . . green . . . spring.” The eloquent language ranges from philosophical to whimsical, and that tone is reflected in the colorful acrylic paintings, which nicely combine realism and abstract touches and provide visual clues. An author’s note offers the inspiration behind her “riddle-ku,” with encouragement for readers to create their own; an answer key; and a further-reading list. While the riddles’ mystique may wane once little ones solve them, the wonderfully evocative, vivid imagery in text and art also make this a welcome addition for poetry classroom units. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. School Library Journal - 04/01/2019 Gr 1–4—A sleek bird kite flown by a child in springtime kicks off this poetic collection of seasonal objects, animals, and activities. Six poems per season invite audience observation and enjoyment. First-time readers may not realize that each haiku is also a riddle with a list of answers found at the end of the book. Only in her concluding author's note does Salas describe the structure she calls "riddle-ku." Readers are meant to guess the identity of the non-human narrator in each poem. She also notes that the non-human voices make these "mask poems." Simple instructions then encourage readers to compose their own riddle-ku. The expansive acrylic scenes featuring children, animals and/or objects offer visual cues about the narrators. For instance, the leaves talk as a child happily bounces in a pile of them. Salas often sets a playful tone and is adept with language. Her diction and syntax are simple and fun. Paired with other seasonal materials, this book offers ample discussion and teaching opportunities with individual readers or groups. VERDICT This well-crafted work contains versatile possibilities for classrooms and libraries.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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