Rainsong/Snowsong - Hardcover

Philemon Sturges was an architect and the author of several books for children, including ""I Love Trains!, I Love Trucks!, I Love Planes!, I Love School!, "" and ""I Love Bugs!""

Ages 2^-5. Big, exuberant collages lend irresistible appeal to these simple stories in rhyme. A little boy sings of the differing pleasures of rain and snow. "The summer rain patters, the summer rain pours, / But I don't need a slicker when I am outdoors." In the rain, it's delightful to splash in puddles while everyone else is trying to stay dry. Snow brings the frosty pleasures of sledding, snowmen, and catching flakes on your tongue, but the cold makes you bundle up to do so. The fun of it all is captured in the buoyant double-page illustrations. Bright paper cutouts show the boy happily engaged in rain and snow activities. The strong, simple shapes gain texture and sparkle from the clever use of fabric and paint, with results that are visually intriguing but never overwhelming to the young eye. An attractive selection in any kind of weather. Leone McDermott