And Then Comes Summer (And Then Comes)

PreS-Gr 2--With this sunny celebration of the season, readers will find themselves eagerly anticipating June. Brenner and Kim have created a nostalgia-inducing suburban setting whose cheerful residents are treated to an endless stream of fireworks, games of hide-and-seek, Fourth of July parades, and trips to the lake. As in his previous titles (And Then Comes Halloween; And Then Comes Christmas), Brenner relies on a "Then...when" structure ("When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, /and leaves and grasses sparkle with dew/.... Then throw on flip-flops and breathe the sweet air") for another ode to a beloved time of the year. Featuring evocative, concrete images--"bugs as big as thumbs bang against windows"--the lyrical verse captures all the exuberance and simplicity of a childhood summer. Kim's illustrations, rendered in acrylic paint with digital tools, depict a rosy-cheeked, diverse array of children as they gleefully sell lemonade, cycle down the street, and indulge in ice cream. Buoyant and infused with energy, these picturesque images call to mind an idyllic time and place without electronics or screens and where kids are free to roam with minimal supervision. VERDICT An enchanting purchase for most library collections, especially those seeking additional seasonal materials.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The language is stunning in its descriptiveness...and Kim's artwork is steeped in sunshine. The overall effect is a celebration of playing outdoors in front yards with bare feet on those special, cherished days that "stretch out like a slow yawn. —Booklist Online 

The smells, sounds, sights, and activities of summer are presented in lyrical text and cheery acrylic illustrations...The activities the boy enjoys, including selling lemonade, marching in the fourth of July parade, and camping at the lake, will have young children thinking about their own anticipated summer pastimes. —Literacy Daily 

From lemonade stands to family vacations, this is the perfect ode to the joys of summer. —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel