LitPick Review
When the alarm goes off, Susie gets up and starts her morning school routine. She changes her clothes, eats her breakfast, and gets ready to head to school. Today, her teacher decides to engage the children in a fun activity with the theme wrapped around the seasons of the year. She lists all the seasons on the chalkboard and then asks the class to each think about what their favorite season is. Once they decide which season is their favorite, the children start raising their hands to share with the class what their favorite season is and why it’s so special to them.
Susie raises her hand and when she’s called upon, she shares with her teacher and fellow classmates that her favorite season is spring. She further adds that it’s her favorite because all the flowers are in bloom, the sun is warm and bright to play outside in, and the air is fresh and clean. It’s also fun to chase butterflies around or listen to the birds singing in the tree.
Opinion:
I truly loved this story because it made me stop and think which season was my favorite season as well. I had to agree with Susie that spring is a great season because the temperatures are warmer allowing you to be able to enjoy the nice weather outside, in which Susie loved playing with her ball and her kite whenever she could. I think children will immediately relate to Susie and will find themselves thinking which season they might like the best out of the year and what activities they like to do during that season.
I felt the story had a nice pacing to it, and the simple rhyming found throughout will have readers of any age eagerly turning the pages for more. It is labeled for children ages 5-8 years. I think the younger age spectrum will love looking at the simple and fun illustrations of Susie and her fun activities she loves to do in the spring, while older children will love reading the story independently or out loud along with a parent, guardian, or teacher.
The illustrations provided by Brooke Beaver were a joy to look at on every page. They were simple drawings done in vibrant colors that pulled the readers further into the story. I found them to be the perfect accompaniment to enhance the story that the author had written for her readers to enjoy. The way the illustrations were presented to the readers, they clearly matched the text the author wrote. I feel children and adults alike will find themselves smiling while looking at these illustrations.
What I found interesting is that Ms. Wilkerson has been a published author since 2010 with her work being geared toward adult readers. It is since 2023 that she has published this book, which is her first children’s book. She mentions that she has always wanted to be a children’s book writer and she made the decision that her first book would be about the seasons of the year, more specifically sharing why spring is her most favorite time of the year. An additional fun fact I learned about this book is that the character, Susie, is named in loving memory of her aunt Susie, making this story an even sweeter one for readers to enjoy.
Overall, I found My Favorite Season is Spring by Patrice Wilkerson to be one in which children and adults will enjoy thinking about their favorite season of the year and what they love to do during that time. Readers will enjoy getting to learn about Susie and all the fun activities she loves to do during the spring. This is Ms. Wilkerson’s first children’s book, and I surely hope it won’t be her last. Well done!
