The Weather Girls

In a story with echoes of Madeline (“It’s summertime. We rise and shine!/ All set to go, we form a line”), 16 girls see what the seasons have to offer, weatherwise and otherwise. Initially dressed in identical yellow rain slickers, the roundheaded girls have an array of skin and hair colors, and an opening spread names each one. From there, author-illustrator Aki moves through the seasons as the girls explore the water and woods in summer, notice the changes of fall, hike and build snowmen in winter, and take a springtime hot-air balloon ride. Aki’s bouncy, rhyming text evokes the emotion and action of each season, and she tailors her palette to the shifting year. Though the girls don’t get individual personalities, it’s clear they are independent, intrepid explorers, and Aki includes some lighthearted, unrealistic moments: one girl reaches out to pet a bear in the forest, and the girls stack themselves up like acrobats while riding a bicycle built for four. A concluding section offers additional seasonal details. Ages 4–8. Agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Mar.)