A smile-inducing collection of poems offers a range of perspectives on the seasons and an introduction to an array of poets both contemporary and classic. Charlotte Zolotow’s “Little Orange Cat,” Ralph Fletcher’s “Water Lily,” and Carl Sandburg’s “Window” are among subjects for Spring. Summer includes “Subway Rush Hour” by Langston Hughes and Joyce Sidman’s “Happy Meeting” in which “Rain meets dust: / soft, cinnamon kisses. / Quick, noisy courtship, / then marriage: mud.” Fall and Winter speak in the voices of William Carlos Williams, Eve Merriam, Robert Frost, Ted Kooser, and others. The brevity of the individual poems makes each one feel like a perfect little package, to be opened, sighed over, shared. Melissa Sweet’s lovely illustrations offer concrete yet whimsical images that shift stylistically, providing an appealing accompaniment to the poems while maintaining a sense of unity across the pages. (Ages 4–9)

Celebrated poet and anthologist Paul B. Janeczko pairs with Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet for a collection of short poems to sample and savor.

It only takes a few words, if they're the right words, to create a strong image. Whether listened to in the comfort of a cozy lap or read independently, the thirty-six very short poems in this collection remind readers young and old that a few perfect words and pictures can make the world glow. Selected by acclaimed poet Paul B. Janeczko and gorgeously illustrated by Melissa Sweet,Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems invites children to sample poems throughout the four seasons.