Crinkle, Crackle, Crack: It’s Spring! by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Shelley

Crinkle, Crackle, Crack: It’s Spring! by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Shelley. Holiday House, 2015. 32 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8

A child is wakened by strange sounds in the night and goes to investigate. In the yard she finds a bear standing in the “rotten snow” who says to her, “It’s time.”

Time for what? As they embark on their quest to discover the source of the noise, they are joined by other animals emerging from their burrows. Together they find growing evidence that spring has arrived, hatching like a baby bird bursting from an egg.

With carefully selected language (“Cold mud sucks at your feet”) and occasional rhyme, Bauer tells a simple story that is full of onomatopoeia. Shelley’s watercolor illustrations complement the text nicely and invite the reader to find evidence of spring along the way. For those who have known a long winter, this is a welcome discovery.

This title is included in our Spring Story Tea booklist [printable and recipes!]

Cautions: none

Overall Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)

• Worldview Rating: 3.75
• Artistic Rating: 3.75

Categories: 3 stars and up, Picture Books, Seasons

Cover image from goodreads. A copy of this book was received from the publisher for a fair review.