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Book: Spring Is Here

Author & Illustrator: Will Hillenbrand

We had above freezing temperatures today. I’m finally starting to believe spring is on the way. What better way to celebrate that hope than a review of a book celebrating its arrival? In this tale, Mole is trying to wake Bear from hibernation. Can he do it?

STORY

Writing: This story is very simply written. Perhaps too simple for my family’s taste, but probably appropriate for very young children (even if mums and dads aren’t enthralled). That said, it is sweet in its simplicity. The simple sentences also help slow down the reading, as counterintuitive as that may be. Because there are so few words on a page you end up pausing to savour the illustrations instead. It also includes a lot of onomatopoeia and sound words, such as “snore.” It can be fun to read aloud until you encounter a word and you find you are unsure whether to read the word or make the sound effect itself, or both. 3.5 STARS

Content: This simplistic story is really great, I think, for younger kids. Mole is trying very sweetly to wake his roommate and friend Bear to tell him spring has arrived. There is a cute little twist at the end that little ones will probably appreciate. 4 STARS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Style: The illustrations are very sweet, very calm, and very lovely. Much of what I want to say about them is covered below. 4 STARS

Skill: The use of pattern and texture in these illustrations is really great. It’s quite clear that Hillenbrand put a lot of love into these very artistic images. He seems to have an eye for detail, without getting lost in it. The character’s emotions are easy to see but drawn in an understated way. The subtle depth of the images really draws me in. 4.5 STARS

KID FACTOR

Mom’s Opinion: Totally cute. I just really like this one. It will definitely need to be revisited every spring for as long as Lucy is interested.

Toddler’s Opinion: Lucy hasn’t had much to say about this one. But I think she enjoys the bear.

OVERALL RATING

If you want to build a collection of seasonal books this one is great for spring. If nothing else, see if your local library has a copy. If they don’t, request they order one. It’s a simple story on the surface, but the lovely illustrations make it enjoyable for even adults to look at. Plus, there are some opportunities to expand on the story with questions and discussion, and maybe even a cooking activity should you feel up to it.

4.5 STARS

Stay tuned for more book reviews this week, and throughout the month of March!

*All books for the “It’s Raining Books” month of reviews were provided by Allen Thomas & Son. I received no additional compensation for providing my honest opinion. All links to the books are affiliate links, meaning if you choose to purchase a copy you will be supporting Domestic Dork. However, I will not encourage you to spend your hard-earned money on a book unless I honestly think it’s worth it. I value you, my readers, too much to take advantage of you that way.