Days Of The Year Divided By Four Equals Fabulous Fun

Autumnal winds have been howling for days.  Roads and pathways swirl with golden pine needles and leaves fashioning a natural carpet.  Large expanses of hillsides turn a rainbow of rich colors overnight.  Rains saturate the land.  It's autumn in northern Michigan.

Jack Frost is playing tag with the nighttime temperatures, promising he'll soon be the victor.  For those who enjoy the four seasons, this time of year is a favorite of many.  It's a blend of the best of summer and winter.  In a recent release, Come Next Season (Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC, October 1, 2019) written by Kim Norman with pictures by Daniel Miyares, each season is celebrated through the eyes and memorable activities of children.

Come summer,
we'll visit the lake.

Before splashing into the sparkling water below after letting go of the rope swing, a cry of sheer abandon is released. Blueberry bushes are full of fruity feasts.  Outdoor picnic dinners feature mosquitoes and freshly cooked corn on the cob.  At night cooler temperatures are drawn inside by the humming pull of a floor fan.

When trees wear the colorful clothing of fall, squirrels scamper to collect winter hordes.  Children jump among the leaves and like the squirrels gather fallen nuts.  The gathered pecans are enjoyed inside after a day of delight outside. 

A weatherman's declaration of a storm promotes quiet hours working a puzzle until bedtime.  Then the soft chatter of shared memories of snowy pursuits between siblings is like a lullaby.  They acknowledge the hidden treasures beneath the white, cold blanket, a possibility of blooming flowers.

With spring a visit to an uncle's farm is an opportunity to welcome all the new babies, piglets and chicks and puppies.  A brother and sister send a pleading gaze to their mother.  A whispered conversation to a new individual on the way home promises adventures at the lake when a new season begins.


With each joyful lyrical series of sentences Kim Norman recalls experiences shared by those fortunate to be living in parts of the world with four distinctive seasons.  The activities of the siblings and their parents are indicative of a simple way of life; a life spent enjoying the out-of-doors.  The descriptions are sensory creating a participatory story for readers.  The inclusion of some dialogue adds to the intimacy.  Here is a passage.

A tree will tap the window
with branchy fingers that will turn bony and bare . . .  

come Winter.


When you open the dust jacket, the scene on the front extends over the spine with clouds and the crystal blue sky.  The white beneath the tree on the front also expands to the left edge of the open jacket.  What readers will appreciate the most about Daniel Miyares's interpretative front is his use of color on the tree's foliage.  He gives us a breathtaking view of it in the various seasons.  We are also introduced to the sister and brother.  On the back of the jacket we read the words:

Every
season
is full of its own
magic.

My hardcover copy has not arrived yet, so I am working with an F & G. If you go to Daniel Miyares's Instagram account, you can get a glimpse of the stunning book case.  It highlights the changing hues on trees in the seasons by displaying large leaves blowing across the case.

On the opening and closing endpapers Daniel Miyares begins and concludes the story without words.  On the first we see an adult loading luggage into the family car as the children play basketball, shooting at a hoop attached to their garage.  By the trees, sky and yellow glow on the house, we know summer has arrived.  On the second endpapers you will be hard pressed not to laugh out loud at the wonderful happiness expressed as the family returns to the lake the following summer.

On the verso and title pages, the family car is cruising down the road toward the lake.  In this scene the daughter has her elbow outside a half-open window, her hair billowing in the breeze.  The illustrations in this title are double-page pictures, full-page pictures or two pictures grouped on a single page.

For the beginning of the narrative on each season, we are shown gorgeous bird's-eye views or panoramic expanses with several perspectives within each image.  Readers will take pleasure in noting some of the included details; the sister putting a corn husk on her brother's head, the picture of the puzzle they are putting together on a snowy day or the brother's favorite toy.  Daniel Miyares has included yellow, however small, in every image. 

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is the first one.  It is a double-page picture.  The girl has just released her hold on the rope swing over the lake.  She is soaring toward the surface.  You can almost hear the splash soon to follow.  The color palette is a lovely blend of blue, white, shades of vibrant green on the oak leaves, brown on the tree branches, rope and the girl's hair with the vivid dark pink of her swimsuit.


For readers looking to highlight the wonder of the changing seasons, to showcase one of the seasons or to give insight on how to enjoy all Mother Nature has to offer, Come Next Season written by Kim Norman with pictures by Daniel Miyares is a most excellent choice.  Readers will feel the definitive words of Kim Norman and the lively, full-color art of Daniel Miyares transport them into the world of this family.  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional collections.

To learn more about Kim Norman and Daniel Miyares and their other work, please access their respective websites by following the links attached to their names.  Kim Norman has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.  Daniel Miyares has accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Daniel Miyares is featured on Picture Book Spotlight on March 4, 2019.  Please visit the publisher's website to enjoy several interior images.