When This Box is Full

An empty wooden box becomes a treasure trove of mementos in this deceptively simple picture book. The left page of each spread features a cumulative list of the months of the year, which grows longer as the book progresses. An unseen narrator names the seasonally appropriate items he will place in the box--one for each successive month. The result is a rainbow jumble, consisting of such things as a wild daisy from June, a red foil heart from February and a turkey's wishbone from November. Concepts of color identification, the seasons, counting, and spelling are cleverly--and subtly--woven into Crews's ( Bigmama's ; Freight Train ) eye-catching page designs. Hand-tinted photographs of the box and its contents have a grainy, almost palpable texture. This airy volume might also serve as encouragement for budding storytellers and scrapbook compilers. Ages 3-up. (Oct.)