If Winter Comes, Tell It I'm Not Here

by Simona Ciraolo

Despite dire predictions about winter, a child is smitten by the season’s charms in this ode to living in the moment.

Nothing is better than summer, with its joys of swimming every day and eating ice cream. One little boy’s older sister tells him he’d better make the most of it, because summer is going to end soon. When winter comes, she assures him, it will be cold and dark, and the icy rain will turn to snow. They’ll be stuck on the sofa for days and won’t even dream of eating ice cream…. Simona Ciraolo’s expressive illustrations belie the bleak forecast with images of glowing autumn leaves, cozy couch snuggles, wintry play, and sweet desserts. A celebration of the changing of the seasons, this inviting tale shows how much fun can be found around every sunny—or snowy—corner.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Storytime, Childrens, Nature, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Simona Ciraolo studied animation at the National Film School in Turin, Italy, and earned a master's in illustration at the Cambridge School of Art in England, where she was awarded the Sebastian Walker Award in 2014. Simona Ciraolo now lives in London.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The little boy loves nothing more than to spend hours at the swimming pool and then have an ice cream cone. His big sister warns him the carefree days of summer will be over soon; it will turn cold and dark and he’ll be cooped up inside. Her words come to pass, yet the boy realizes that every season has its joys and he has to take advantage of them while they last. Cute and colourful, though the drawing style wasn’t my favourite. And a correction is in order: as President Biden would surely tell you, ice cream is a year-round treat!

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn to embrace the seasons in this story with retro illustartions. A little boy who loves summer discovers there are other seasons to enjoy. Along with those who love stories with retro illustrations, share this one with those looking for stories about family and siblings; this one is a treat!

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little boy discovers that each season has specialness when you spend it with your family.

[giso0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

With lively illustrations, it shows that every season is fun in a different way.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a title I can relate to. Vibrant illustrations are a highlight of this story of a kid who dreads the upcoming winter season.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

When our narrator is told summer is on its way out, he's concerned. Whole seasons without swimming and ice cream? No thanks! Of course, inevitably, fall and winter find their way into the world, ready for their turn, and he finds there's plenty of wonder and activity to experience within each season. Better make the most of each one while they're here! I love the gentle ambience and celebration displayed in every picture, perfectly illustrating the feelings I get, no matter what time of year.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story about a little boy who loves summer. One day his sister tells him about autumn and winter and he doesn't want to believe her, he wants it to always be summer. Then when the seasons start to change he realises it is true and learns to love the differences.
A good story to introduce children to the idea of different seasons. I would read this as a read-aloud story in FS and KS1.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely glimpse into how perspective changes everything.

[Tashi Pem · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this whimsical take on the seasons, a young boy's joy in
summer is deflated when he hears it does not last forever.
“It seems to rain every day. That means that when you’re indoors you’re often snuggled upon the sofa together”.

“…what happens when you learn that when winter arrives everything is dull and there is neither swimming nor ice cream?”

[BrookesEducationLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book is now available for loan from the SEC at Harcourt Hill Library

[Isadora Guercovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Livro fofinho sobre o fim do verão e a chegada do inverno. Ilustrações simpáticas

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this digital ARC from the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.

As a New Englander who hates the winter, I couldn't wait to read this one. I found it to be just okay. The little boy loves summer and swimming, but his sister tells him it's short-lived and that everything will soon be turning cold, wet and gray.

I had thought this book might be a funny take on winter, but it was a more serious tone, promoting all the good things about winter (or so they say!).

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's just something about the changing seasons that brings out the best in many of us. For those readers like the narrator who love the summer, cooler temperatures may not be welcome. As he enjoys the last days of summer, his sister warns him that bad times are ahead and that the things he particularly loves, including swimming and eating ice cream, won't be part of this transition. She barely addresses fall--my favorite season--and cautions him about all the perils of winter. But to his delight, the little boy finds that winter has its own delights, including hot chocolate, evenings snuggled on the couch with his family, and sledding. As it turns out, his sister was both right and wrong, and he makes the best of winter, as should we all. I appreciated how the pencil and watercolor illustrations featured several scenes filled with much activity and the youngsters were drawn with expressive faces. This picture book with its appealing title describing how a lot of folks feel about the cold season might be a good introduction to the four seasons as well as a reminder that older sisters don't always know best and can't always be trusted.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to our Goodreads Book Blurber, this is what the story's about:

"Despite dire predictions about winter, a child is smitten by the season’s charms in this ode to living in the moment."

When I went into this story I thought? The title is supposed to be, "If Winter Comes, Tell It I'm Not Here."

HUH? Such a contradiction. What would this book be about then?

WELL THE GOODREADS BOOK BLURBER WAS RIGHT

What a terrible title! Imagine if this story had been about another nameless little boy (the one in this book being nameless), a nameless little boy who, on Page 3 of the book, did a big, noisy sneeze. While the plot was all about roller skating.

Would it be right to give the book a title like, "The Big, Noisy Sneeze"?

ODDLY ENOUGH

I read the book and, far as I could tell, nobody ever said the extreme words (intended to be clever)
"If Winter Comes, Tell It I'm Not Here" -- so what was this title from, some marketing genius at Candlewick Press?

4 STARS.

Altogether the book was entertaining and sweet. But what a terrible, terrible title!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw, a boy's older sister tells him all about winter, how to look for signs it is on its way like days getting shorter, leaves dropping, then cold! Although those things do happen, he finds many things to love like sledding, cozying with family on the sofa, and making snow angels. When they ice skate, it is so much fun. Winter does not become the sad season the sister describes. In a story of brief words where watercolor illustrations show those seasonal changes along with the brother's delight. despite his sister's gloomy forecast. It will be lots of fun reading aloud with a group talking about points of view of course!
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this picture book!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely cute! What a great story to talk to kids about the changing seasons, or even just the concept of change and appreciating the day for what it offers. A great one for worry-warts or kids who struggle with negativity, even though those aren't directly talked about. This would be a fantastic story for one-on-one with a bit of conversation about what they appreciated about the day. I'm going to try it in a storytime, but I think it would be best saved for a rainy day at the end of summer at an in-person storytime since it is a fairly quiet read and there isn't a lot of detail in the illustrations to make it engaging virtually.

Highly recommended for ages 3+.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Simona Ciraolo’s unique style and her take on things where she often makes use of her illustrations to contradict or say more than what the words are saying. This was a sweet book I could relate to about a kid worrying about being cooped up and cold in the winter after his sister scares him about it and then realizing all the great things to enjoy about the wintertime, but in a way that is smart and funny, and not saccharine. I enjoyed it and it’s definitely worth a read for your season change stories. My 3.5 year old really enjoyed it and loved at the ending when the kids see the first flower poking up and aren’t ready.

[Jessie Polson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far my favorite children’s book I’ve read so far. This book is about a little boy who absolutely loves Summer. He loves the sun and swimming and especially ice cream. However his sister starts to warn him that Winter will come, and he won’t even dream of eating ice cream. This scares him. Eventually, fall comes and then comes winter. And he discovers that he loves Winter! He watches TV with his family every night, and he sleds down the snowy hills with his family. He even discovers he doesn’t want ice cream, but instead hot cocoa!
This was a really great book and definitely my favorite read so far.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’d better make the most of it while it lasts. Summer’s going to end soon.”

A boy, who loves summer, especially swimming, is told by his older sister that summer will soon wane and winter will come. It will be cold, colorless, dark and very dull according to the girl. The boy doesn’t want to believe it, but begins to look for the signs of winter with some trepidation. And, of course, the winter comes, but it’s not as awful as the girl describes. In fact, the boy enjoys the time “stuck on the sofa” with his family, the rain and the snow. “I think I like it. I can still have lots of fun!”

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little boy who loves summer is worried because his big sister says summer is going to end soon. Then fall will come, the days will get shorter, and colder, and the rain will turn to snow. It all sounds terrible! But even though it happens like she said, the boy realizes he can still have lots of fun in the winter! Yes it's dark, but they cuddle up to watch movies together and do lots of fun winter things.

Very short, quick read with the pictures playing a big part in telling the story. I liked it a lot.

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the young boy in the beginning of the book - I love summer and being in the water! When the older sister tells him about what is coming - the characteristics of fall and winter - the little boy is not impressed. But as each thing happens, he finds joy in each season. And that's where the similarities end for me, ha!
I enjoyed the story but I did notice that the mom and sister in the book appeared to have upward-slanted eyes, stereotypically drawn Asian eyes.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book! All of us who love summertime have felt the dread of the coming cold months. This book uses great voice to talk about the things we may miss juxtaposed with the things we get to enjoy during fall and winter. So well done!

Use this at the beginning of the school year or whenever you talk about changing seasons.

Art note: the family seems to be a blended family. While it's never mentioned, kids from blended families may notice and really appreciate this detail.

[Cathy Ogren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little boy loves summer, swimming, and ice cream cones. When his older sister tells him he had better enjoy summer because after summer comes fall with rain and shorter days. Then comes winter with dark days, snow, and cold. The boy doesn't believe her until Mom and Dad say it's true. As the boy watches the season change, he's surprised that each one brings unexpected pleasures. This is a sweet book with delightful illustrations of changing seasons, family, and fun.

[Victoria Boswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book that introduces its readers to the concept of seasons as well as the characteristics of each season. The main character is a child who loves summer and doesn't want it to end, which is something very relatable to elementary kids. In the end he discovers what there is to appreciate about fall, winter, and spring so I think this would be a good book to read to the class as the seasons start to change in the beginning of the school year.

[Alexis Fritz]

This little boy loves summer. He loves swimming and eating ice cream. He learns that summer will not last forever, and that the seasons change. He enjoyed watching the leaves change colors and playing in the snow. He made the best of it and still played no matter what the weather was like.

This might be a stretch, but the dad's glasses in this story reminded me of the 70's. There was no diversity in this book, but looking at the glasses it gave stereotype vibes with the father.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute - I liked how it goes over the changing of the seasons. The book eventually talks about the boy accepting the winter, so I felt like the title didn't necessarily match the book's messaging. But this is absolutely the kind of book my husband would pick up - a self-proclaimed summer baby - and is great for kiddos who may have a hard time transitioning from the fun of summer.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry. I wanted to love this, esp. after enjoying others by the author. But I don't like how it was so easy for the boy to decide that winter is terrific, too. And I don't like how he and his sister are mean to each other sometimes. And I'm not crazy about the art style, esp. the rosy scribbled cheeks. But definitely ymmv!

[Amber Staker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be great to use when discussing the change of seasons. It describes each season and what to look for to know when the seasons are changing. We all have a tendency to want to stay in one season over the others, but this book reminds us that each season brings enjoyable aspects with it.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Winter Comes, Tell It I’m Not Here by Simona Ciraolo is a beautifully illustrated book that captures the magic of seasonal change. The vibrant artwork drew my students in, sparking a lively discussion about their favorite seasons and winter memories. This story is perfect for teaching children about embracing change and finding joy in every season. A delightful read for the classroom!

[Bryan Loar · Rating 4 out of 5]

With an absolutely charming cover, I couldn't wait to read this book. It took a moment at the beginning to get into it--both from the writing and illustrative style. However, Ciraolo quickly won me over with this an endearing story. A digital advanced reader copy was reviewed.