W. A. Mathieu, a gifted writer and musician, has referred to our ears as altars. That's a good description of what they become in this large board book with a rhyming text aimed at children ages one through seven. The world is a wonderland of sounds that come and go with the change of the seasons. We begin with:
"Leaves rustle, hammocks sway. Splish, splash, children play.
"Clouds drift, dogs run. Sizzle, sizzle, summer sun."
Little boys and girls will delight in pointing out the various ways people are enjoying a sunny day at the beach. Contrast that to the sounds of winter:
"Crunch, crunch, boots chomp. Grown-ups shovel, children romp.
"Skaters spin, skiers glide. Zip, zoom, slip, slide."
Children and adults alike will relish the playfulness and sensuousness of the rhyming text created by Phillis Gershator. Equally pleasing are the illustrations of Alison Jay (I Took the Moon for a Walk).
Listening can add breadth and depth to our days if we only would pay more attention to what is going on all around in the turning of the seasons. The last section of this children's book contains lists of what you can see in summer, autumn, winter, and spring. Try viewing your ears as two portable altars and see how this changes the quality of your listening experience.
