Round and Round the Year We Go

Layering bright, shape-based figures against clean white backgrounds, Higgins (Some of These Are Snails) takes a trip around the year, employing rhythmically tight verse to mark each month. “Icy air where/ snowflakes vary/ branches bare in/ January” accompanies the image of a child bundled in green pulling a smaller, yellow-clad child through the snow, while a pink-eared mouse builds a snow mouse below. Throughout, lines that hint at seasonal fare pay close attention to the sounds of words, producing effects both amusing (“sticky fizzle/ summer snooze”) and lyrical (“swirly whispers/ flurries quiver”) en route to a reflective end. A closing vertical spread shows four children in the limbs of a tall tree, each representing a season against segmented backgrounds of winter blue, summer lavender, golden spring, and autumn orange: “Some things change/ and some do not/ let’s play with all the time we’ve got.” The two mice that appear throughout the book close the show with a final cheer, “round and round for one and all.” Widely shared pleasures and timeless themes make this read appropriate for any number of settings. Children are represented with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content. (Aug.)