Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

by Kenard Pak, Kenard Pak (Illustrator)

Overview

In a simple, cheerful conversation with nature, a young boy observes how the season changes from winter to spring in Kenard Pak's Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring.

As days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again, everyone knows—spring is on its way!

Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250151728
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	02/18/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	42,101
Product dimensions:	11.30(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kenard Pak is the author and illustrator of Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn and Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter. As a visual-development artist, he’s worked with DreamWorks and Disney. Mr. Pak has illustrated many books for children, including Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray and The Dinner That Cooked Itself by J. C. Hsyu. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and their three cats.

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2020

PreS-Gr 2—A boy takes a daily walk with his dog through the countryside. The book opens with an array of wintry scenes but as it goes on, the boy observes the changes in the scenery as the season shifts from winter to spring. The book's repetition of the word "hello" becomes a soothing and rhythmic addition to the text. The child appears to be in constant conversation with the natural world around him. These conversations have a poetic tone and flow. The drawings are done in a folk-art style with scenes that often shift perspective, giving readers an opportunity to view the landscape in different ways. Neutral colors are used to portray dark snowy scenery. Snowflakes are streaked and dotted across pages, generating a realistic illusion of movement. Animals with playful expressions can be seen throughout. VERDICT A good addition to any seasonal storytime collection.—Deanna Smith, Pender County Public Library, NC

School Library Journal

2019-11-10
A dialogic approach to the turn of the seasons.

A young child, with beige skin and dark hair, and a white dog walk through the darkened, snowy countryside. They greet the snow and the winter night; a frozen pond and an empty nest; and even a glass house. Each in turn answers back, offering insight into their experience of the chilly atmosphere. Following a wordless spread that serves as a pictorial climax, the season shifts toward spring, with increased sunlight, warmth, melting snow, and the renewed presence of songbirds and flowers. The world has come to life again, and the child and dog run through green fields sparsely patched with retreating snow. The contrasting color palettes and geometric shapes in the accumulating spreads effectively evoke the stark darkness of winter and the bright warmth of spring. Ground-level and bird's-eye perspectives of the rural setting and tiny details reward eagle-eyed readers. The rapid change from nocturnal winter storm to bright, green spring day seems a bit contrived, underscoring the book's premise of transition and metamorphosis. Moreover, the child's conversation with the natural world at times leaves readers unclear of who is speaking, which may cause confusion during a read-aloud. This is the third book in Pak's seasonal cycle.

A slight addition to a seasonal collection redeemed by its striking illustrations. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews