DAWN

A sunrise awakens life on a lake.

As dawn breaks, the sun slowly rises on a lake where the flora and fauna stir. Creatures forage, make sounds, and move. Plants bend in the breeze and bloom. Martin conveys all this through the sparest of text—on each page, just a word or two focuses the eye on his lush, earthy illustrations. In one sequence, the word deer is paired with an image of the animal lapping from the lake. On the following page, the words sound and spring follow; the accompanying illustrations show the deer staring at readers and then fleeing, with only its hindquarters visible in this image. The third page depicts ripples in the water (“still”)—the sole sign that the deer was ever here. Other spreads stand alone; the word conceal is paired with an illustration of an owl camouflaged by a tree, while reveal shows the same owl no longer hidden, its yellow eyes wide open. Martin includes alliterative sequences, such as one involving a fish making a meal out of a fly. Portraits of insects abound, from butterflies to beetles. Rhymes evoke the quality of light on water: “glint / glimmer,” “reflection / shimmer.” Less a story and more a series of illustrations paired with poetic text, the book is a testament to Martin’s immense artistic talents.

Truly stunning.