Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors

Anthropomorphized colors take charge in this fanciful book in praise of the seasons, from the collaborators behind "This Is Just to Say". An androgynous crowned youth, dressed ornately in triangular apparel, plays host as colors are woven into unrhymed poetry. In spring, pink is hairless, / featherless, / the color of/ new/ things, while in summer, the youth finds a companion whose headpiece is a cross between a crown and a cowboy hat (filled with fish, no less), and the two royal personages indulge in popcorn and lemonade on the dock of a bay. Fall strikes a more melancholy tone: the wind feels black: / star-spangled, / full of secrets, as an enormous whale blends into the nightscape. Broad swathes of color compose the seasonal palettes, juxtaposed with painstakingly precise designs. The effect is evocative of primitive antiques: fleur-de-lis, checkered print and scrawled calligraphy abound, creating an artfulif, at times, preciousdisplay that works in tandem with the gentle musings of the imagistic verse. The regal elegance is sure to charm. Ages 58. "(Mar.)" Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 3Through the seasons, this book personifies colors, starting with a red bird in early spring and concluding with it as winter ends. "In SPRING, /Red sings/from treetops: /"cheer-cheer-cheer", /each note dropping/like a cherry/into my ear." At first Green is shy, but in summer "Green is queen." "In fall, Yellow grows wheels/and lumbers/down the block, /blinking: /"Warningclassrooms ahead"," and in winter "Gray and Brown hold hands." Sidman encourages readers to experience color with all of the senses. Some of Zagarenski's mixed-media paintings are full of light and others are darker and slightly haunting, but the rich colors come to life on the page. The words and pictures depend upon one another and blend well to conjure up quirky, magical imagery. Children will find many small stories waiting to be told within the detailed paintings and enjoy looking at them over and over. This poetic tribute to the seasons will brighten dull days."Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA" Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A 2010 Caldecott Honor Book

"It's wonderfully strange to read of colors with sounds, smells and tastes."—New York Times Book Review

"A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions"—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This book has a freshness and visual impact all its own, and it will inspire a rainbow of uses."—The Bulletin, starred review

"Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration."—Horn Book, starred review

"As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page, do sing."—Booklist, starred review