When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano is a delight! This collection of poems, about fifty of them, follows the changing seasons from the perspective of a child, depicted as a girl through the illustrations. Each poem is dated, so this is also a nature journal, of sorts. The poems are mostly free verse, making the poetry very accessible, and again, journal-like. The poems begin and end on March 20, the first day of spring. (I particularly love that a bluebird graces both the first and last page of the book.) Julie Morstad’s illustrations are lovely: done in gouache and pencil crayon, they are both detailed and joyful. (You can see some samples here and here.) I also love that both boys and girls, as well as children of various skin tones, are represented. The illustrations capture the spirit of Fogliano’s poems. I really can’t say enough good about this little gem of a book, so instead I’ll share one of my favorite little poems:
March 26:
shivering and huddled close
the forever rushing daffodils
wished they had waited
Fogliano hits just the right tones throughout the collection: playful, wistful, somber, tired, and hopeful, among others. This is a collection all ages can enjoy. I want to add this volume to our poetry library. It’s a very versatile collection, being equally as useful and inspirational for poetry tea time as it is for nature study. Highly Recommended. (Roaring Brook, 2016)
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This was a favorite of mine this past year!!