TELL ME A SEASON

Colors define the four seasons in this compact look at nature's annual cycle. In Siddals's first book, children can aquaint themselves with spring, summer, fall, and winter through short (1218 words) verse and simple paintings. The operative word is minimalist—the text is spare and Mathers's paintings uncluttered: A yellow ball of sun or a streak of blue sky occupies an entire page. Each season is introduced with a color- -``snow white/shadows black/black sky/white lights/black and white: Winter night''—and ends with one house, depicted four times in folksy scenes set against the appropriate seasonal landscape. The characteristic flat perspective, clean lines, and pleasing colors that mark Mathers's work add up to soothing effect, and the pages will be smudged by the enthusiastic pointing of little fingers. (Picture book. 3-6)