Forest of Dreams

An adventurous girl celebrates the transition from winter to spring: ``God gave me eyes / To see the woods and all who live within it.'' Chickadees and cardinals, deer, rabbits and a snowy owl are all part of the winter landscape. A flock of geese flies over a frozen salt marsh while the girl pauses to listen. With the passing of time spring showers bring a profusion of wild flowers to the grassy meadow and a fieldmouse, painted turtle and frog are revealed among rock ledges. The exultant text offers thanks for the gift of life with phrases like ``God made me new / Just like the spring that waits beneath the snow.'' Young naturalists will find much to discover as they explore the change of seasons in this eloquent, spiritually uplifting book by a gifted author-and-artist team. Ages 3-8. (September)