SPRING BABIES

A group of toddlers and their pup enjoy the change of seasons playing in a park.

Readers were introduced to this group of toddlers—one black, one brown, one olive-skinned, and one white—and their dog in Autumn Babies and Winter Babies (both 2018). The series concludes as the toddlers continue to enjoy the park in spring and, in the companion title, summer. In spring, the lollipop-shaped trees in the park sport vibrant shades of green and bright fuchsia. “Rain drops. / Dandelions glow. // Puddles splash. / Clouds blow.” And the babies “crawl,” “wiggle,” “scamper,” and “giggle.” As cute yellow-and-white birds sing, a baby peeks from behind a tree, a duck family swims in the pond, and the dog sleeps. The book concludes as a baby peeks out from a lush crop of dandelions: “It’s spring!” In summertime, the trees acquire warm tones of yellow, and “Sun shines. / Clover blooms. // Butterflies flutter. / Bees zoom.” And the babies “wade,” “hide” in the tall grass, “swing,” “slide,” and “clap.” Following the same format as in the previous books, the outing concludes with an enthusiastic “It’s summer!”

With its companions, a sweet and cheery introduction to the seasons for the youngest readers.