Calendar

Hillenbrand’s (What a Treasure!) joyous mixed-media illustrations playfully beckon youngsters to skip through the 12 months of the year while reading this picture-book version of a poem first published in 1959 by the late Livingston. Employing kid-friendly metaphors, the brief text homes in on one central image for a given month. (“June is deep blue swimming,/ Picnics are July,/ August is my birthday,/ September whistles by”). Though the language is simple on the surface, Hillenbrand recognizes that it’s rich with possibility as he depicts a chipper pigtailed girl enjoying each activity—and each month—to the fullest. Memorable scenes are aplenty: an April spread stars the protagonist in a yellow rain slicker observing her reflection in a sidewalk puddle and the dark silhouette of her family’s Fourth of July nighttime picnic is set against an inky backdrop dotted with effervescent fireworks. Like the spunky heroine, kids may be similarly inspired to celebrate the wealth of diverse experiences that the changing seasons offer. Ages 3-6. (May)