Everyone loves a celebration, and renowned illustrator Tasha Tudor offers one for every month in this enchanting treasury of seasons. Come enter a world where sledding excursions melt into summer picnics, and autumn fairs beckon Christmas cheer.
I love Tasha Tudor, her illustrations are exquisite! They remind me of Eve Garnett's style, who seems to be an English equivalent.
A simple book with a line or two of text about each month. Really lovely illustrations show outdoor activities, nature, seasonal celebrations and family.
Five-star illustrations, of course. I love Tasha Tudor! This book goes through each month, picking out a few things that make each month special. I got it for my four-year-old son, who is starting to get a sense of the rhythm of the year and loves to ask which month comes next. It ended up being more for me, though (did I say I love Tasha Tudor?). I loved the illustrations and the features of each month, but my son didn't really get it. The text was written to rhyme, but it made it harder for him to understand. I had to 'translate' every page. I'll be looking for something a bit more obvious, I guess!
A lovely look at the twelve months of the year and what they bring (to the northern hemisphere). Around the Year is substantially different from A Time to Keep, which I wondered going into it. Simple words and delightful illustrations.
A charming and lovely little book. It’s more of a rhyming book than a story. Quickly read. Would still love a copy for my library one day for the illustrations.
I adore Tasha Tudor. Her illustrations look vintage with warm colors and characters that harken back to a simpler time in New England. Her poems are so simple, yet the illustrations spark the imagination. This book goes through each month of the year with pictures that make each month come alive. Perfect for a short bedtime story or a very young child just learning to read.
Tasha Tudor does not disappoint. This book contains a poem and beautiful illustrations celebrating every month and season of the year. It makes a wonderful introduction to the calendar for small children.
Lovely little read. I love Tasha Tudor's illustrations, even if every other page is in color. I wouldn't own this book, but I'd definitely check it out from the library again.
A very nice little picture book, with a brief poem (a few lines long) about each month of the year. The poems are nice, but the beautiful illustrations are the best part.
From "Essential Reading: Seasons" by Literary Mama staff:
When I think of seasons, I think instantly of Tasha Tudor, who rendered them so beautifully in her books—and who, during my sodden Northwest childhood, gave me an idea of what summer and winter could be like for people who didn't live on the edge of a temperate rain forest. Now that I live in New England, it has been a special pleasure to revisit Tudor's oeuvre with my boys as we go Around the Year. For our family, it's not summer without Corgiville Fair, and it's not Halloween without Pumpkin Moonshine. Then there's A Tale for Easter and The Christmas Cat. My favorite, however, has always been A Time to Keep, a brief yet magical journey through the months of a long-ago child's year. Tudor's characteristic illustrations are soft but rich with detail, and there's an irresistible charm about the somewhat fanciful old world that she depicts, where everything is homemade and every celebration is a work of art.
The picture book features brief rhymes and drawings of popular nineteenth century activities as they occurred each month of the year. The illustrations are rendered in watercolor and ink and they successfully emphasize the nostalgic quality of old traditions and seasonal rhythms. On a personal note, there is something deeply rich about this books subject matter and rendering--it creates an atmosphere of quietness, of wistfulness, and of awe. For young children, however, that atmosphere may not be quite as accessible as it is for older readers and in that case, this book may tend more toward sweet verse, art appreciation, and seasonal education--making this book, I believe, all the more beautiful in its breadth of application.