Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak

Kenard Pak, illustrator for several lovely books, branches out on his own and creates the first in what I hope will be a truly lovely series.

A girl walks out into the summer day - but as she walks through the forest, into the town, and back home, there are signs of changes everywhere. She greets the trees, the wind, the sun, and others and each replies with a simple explanation of how they are changing for the coming season.

"Hello, thunder. Hello! You can hear my low rumble from far away. My clouds loom over the open fields and quiet hills."

Even more so than the text, Pak's unique art catches the mood of the cusp of the season. Quick splashes of color and shapes flutter across the pages like the first falling leaves. A diverse cast of characters lives peacefully in a small, rural town, enjoying the last sunny days before winter. The simple text is enhanced by seamlessly integrated facts - how beavers prepare for winter, the sun setting earlier, etc.

Verdict: A perfect choice for seasonal storytimes, this one has delighted toddlers and preschoolers in our library. I look forward to the sequel coming fall 2017. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781627794152; Published 2016 by Henry Holt; Purchased for the library