Very young children will enjoy talking about their own experiences in the summer, and laughing at Sam’s anthropomorphism (human like behaviour). Older children will appreciate the way that Pickering conjures up warmth with sweeping clouds, or motion through swirly comet tails and the dancing legs of Sally and Sam.
Reviewed by Magdalena Ball

It’s Summer
By Jimmy Pickering
Smallfellow Press
Hardcover: 32 pages, March, 2003, ISBN: 1931290237

Author and illustrator Jimmy Pickering has created a whole series of picture books based on the seasons, and all of the seasons have their own special charm, but there’s nothing quite as glorious as a summer’s day. With his oddly proportioned pasted shaded pictures, Pickering has really captured the sights, sounds, and smells of summer. Pigtailed Sally and her dog Sam enjoy the green foliage, the bright sunflowers, the fresh vegetables, swimming in the ocean, eating delicious ice cream sundaes, beach combing, building sandcastles, selling lemonade, picnicking, eating fresh watermelon, watching shooting stars, drinking ice-tea in a treehouse, and watching fireflies. The two playmates are exhausted but exhilarated, after such a fun filled day.

The naïve pictures really match the text, and young children will love the funny imagery, the often unusual words, and the rhyme. The text was simple enough for my five year old to read this himself and he enjoyed learning new words and the juicy lemonade and delicious cherry topped sundaes.

Very young children will enjoy talking about their own experiences in the summer, and laughing at Sam’s anthropomorphism (human like behaviour). Older children will appreciate the way that Pickering conjures up warmth with sweeping clouds, or motion through swirly comet tails and the dancing legs of Sally and Sam. This is a book all about friendship, joy and the sensual appreciation of each moment. What could be better for children?