SEASONAL ADVENTURES

A Black father and son explore the seasons in a yearlong celebration of love of self, community, and creation.

The book, set in a small town adjacent to farmland and wild spaces, opens with spring. With playful mobility, Bayoc’s paintings depict the pair taking in their surroundings. Father and son gleefully tumble down a hill past a dogwood tree and through a flower patch while birds sing in the corner. Worried quails in a vivacious field of daffodils watch the father and son fly a kite under heavy drops of rain. Summer radiates warmth as horses kick up their hooves and cats side-eye the commotion. A thunderstorm with rain sheeting down isn’t enough to quell the joy in these two. In fall, the father rakes up the leaves while his son playfully jumps in the pile. Acorns drop as the son and his dad enjoy a healthy salad. Then winter covers the trees, mountaintops, and roofs with puffs of snow, and father and son build a snowman together. In all seasons, onlooking animals are painted with bright smiles that match the protagonists’. Moore’s brisk verse sets the pace. Stanza structure and rhyme scheme vary from season to season, but the peppy bounce never falters. Occasional moments when text and illustrations are a bit out of sync do not materially dull the fun. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A pure ode to nature and sincere Black boy joy.