Secrets of the Seasons: Orbiting the Sun in Our Backyard

In this companion to 2012’s Secrets of the Garden, Alice’s friend Zach notices that the days are getting shorter, leading into a yearlong exploration of the changes that the seasons bring. Zoehfeld makes Alice’s narration and the characters’ conversations feel especially real and even poetic (“I guess summer’s really over now,” says Alice on a late September day when the grass is too cold for bare feet). Meanwhile, scholarly chickens Maisy and Daisy again offer detailed scientific background, this time about the Earth’s rotation and orbit, migration, hibernation, and more, aided by illustrations and charts. Lamont’s detailed pen-and-watercolor illustrations help maintain the book’s blend of informative fun, while hinting at the vastness of the universe as seen through the portal of one’s own backyard. Ages 5–8. (Apr.)