And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano
Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
32 pages - Roaring Book Press
Pub. Date - February 14, 2012
Sometimes waiting on spring can feel like forever, especially when the colors of winter are all around. Brown, brown, brown everywhere you see. In And Then It’s Spring, a young boy and his loyal dog wait patiently and sometimes not so patiently for their garden to grow. The boy doesn’t understand why the seeds that he has planted won’t grow. Maybe some bears stomped on the seeds? Or some hungry birds found the seeds and decided they would be a perfect snack? No matter what the reason may be, the garden just is not growing. But maybe with a little time, plus some rain and sunshine, things will start to grow?And Then It’s Spring is a great resource to explain to children how the beautiful things that spring brings need time to grow. Through sparse text, children will be able to understand that gardening and growing take time, but with the help of rain and the sun, flowers and plants will sprout soon. First time author Julie Fogliano teams up with 2011 Caldecott Medal winner Erin E. Stead to create a striking and sweet story about the changing seasons. This is Stead’s first work since winning in 2011 for A Sick Day for Amos McGee. She uses woodblock printing techniques and pencils to create her stunning illustrations. As the story progresses the scenery and color scheme that Stead uses slowly become lighter, bringing in the slight changes of an oncoming spring.
Julie Fogliano has created an endearing story that children will sure to love. Pairing her story with Erin Stead's illustration style was simply genius. The simplicity and overall beauty of Stead's art, which is clearly represented in And Then It's Spring, is a key reason she won the 2011 Caldecott Medal. Maybe a another win could possibly be in the works for Ms. Stead? Only time will tell! 
