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FIRST NOTES OF SPRING by Jessica Kulekjian

FIRST NOTES OF SPRING

by Jessica Kulekjian ; illustrated by Jennifer Bower

Pub Date: Feb. 15th, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0473-9
Publisher: Bloomsbury

An enthusiastic badger marches to her own music.

Eager to join the ensemble of the title, who “[melt] winter away with their melodies,” Juniper auditions with “strong sticks, a thumpity toadstool, and rowdy rhythms.” In response to her booming audition, a disapproving Mr. Moose demonstrates how his musicians make music with whistling flutes, humming strings, and tinkling keys. Juniper tries again, but her boisterous booms drown out their low-key melody. Mr. Moose warns Juniper spring won’t bloom with her fast, loud, wild cacophony. Exiting her failed audition, Juniper hears a woodpecker tapping on a tree trunk and adds her own booms to the taps. Hearing a beaver clapping the ice with his tail, Juniper and the woodpecker join in with their booms and taps. Finding a rabbit thumping the ground, Juniper, the woodpecker, and the beaver add their booming, tapping, and clapping. Together their wild music rattles trees, shakes off snow, and awakens sleeping creatures. Could they be the “First BEATS of Spring”? Onomatopoeic repetition of large, bold display-type booms, taps, claps, and thumps dominates both text and illustrations. The background gradually morphs from snowy, bare winter woods into awakening springtime while the simple, comic shapes of the animal musicians produce a lively visual rhythm as their upbeat ad hoc music-making progresses from page to page.

Guaranteed to get hands clapping, fingers tapping, and feet thumping.

(note on seasons) (Picture book. 3-7)