Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. 32 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8
Recommended for: ages 4-8

Sidman and Zagarenski use color as an organizational schema through which they poetically explore the seasons in this unique book; it is a true work of art. This is a beautiful, unique book—one that invites close study. Mixed-media illustrations full of myriad details flesh out the poetic text. Most colors are repeated, beautifully changing with the seasons, coming full circle at the end of the book as red sings from the treetops again. Zagarenski’s use of red, in particular, and Sidman’s insight into the unseen colors in each season are marvelous. They move us beyond seeing white in winter to seeing pink in winter or thinking of a color associated with a smell. This is a good companion work to Firefly July or Hi, Koo!

Cautions: none

Overall Value: 4.75 (out of 4)

• Worldview value: 4.5
• Artistic value: 5

Categories: Award Winners, Picture Books, Poetry, Seasons
Cover image from Amazon