For the next few weeks I’ll be reviewing books new to our children’s department in honor of summer library program. Can you believe it? Summer programs are nearly half over at the library! I hope everyone’s summer plans are going along well, whether you are on the farm, on vacation, or just trying to stay cool.
Tuesday is the first day of summer, although I’m sure the weather has been reminding us of that for a few weeks now! This week’s Port Pick celebrates that wonderful season of the year from the end of school to the dog days.
And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner, with illustrations by Jaime Kim captures the joy of long sunny days with just a bit of nostalgia for classic summer activities like ice cream breaks, fireworks, trips to the lake, lemonade stands, and bicycle rides. The illustrations are in bright inky colors, done in a cartoonish style that evokes all the youthful joys of a summer day. The rhyming text follows a “when…” and an answer “then…” on each page, starting with warming weather and lengthening days, followed by the sound of lawn mowers and the end of school, to evening crickets, the Fourth of July, and finally settling down in your tent for a late summer camping trip.
This story would be a great one to read to your young grade school aged child right at the end of school, or if you’re planning several weekends swimming at Lake Waconda.
This is actually the third in a series by the same author, each title starting with “And then comes…” The library has And Then Comes Halloween as well, although it is illustrated by a different artist. It still has the same happy, bright, and fun feel though.
You can get the item reviewed here, which was And Then Comes Summer Tom Brenner, with illustrations by Jaime Kim and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”