THE WEATHER GIRLS

Sixteen tiny tots march through the four seasons, finding much to do in the varied weather.

The beginning immediately recalls Madeline—the yellow slickers, slim black sketching, and even two straight lines. However, there isn’t a smallest among this group to steal the show; all 16 multiracial gals (though more have pale skin than not) share the spotlight equally. The first season they explore is summer. Following the lively rhymes (“A big, bright sun. / Let’s have some fun! / We swim and dive and splash and run”) the girls teeter on the edges of a diving board and snap to formation for a water-ballet routine. Fall has them marching through the city, leaping in leaf piles, and reaching up high for apples. Winter highlights Aki’s willingness to play with perspective: the girls peer up into the falling snow, mouths open to catch the flakes, while readers look down on them from above. Spring is full of requisite flowers, and it also brings a final weather feat that never ceases to amaze. Two final pages include a small amount of background information on the seasons (accurate to temperate climates).

A breezy seasonal storytime choice, though the art carries most of the weight—and does so delightfully.