A quiet, lovely picture book is a perfect pairing of spare, poetic text and lush, textured acrylic on canvas illustrations as it moves from snow-soft winter to the blossoming of spring (“Just seen / A hint of green.”) to the fullness of summer, and then the first hints of fall. The words offer concrete imagery in brief but elegant phrases (“Shadows of crows”) and also build anticipation for each turn of the page by asking simple questions (“What now?”) or offering hints of more to come (“Look here!”). The richly hued images emphasize the natural world but sometimes include the same boy and girl. The interplay between them is essential and gratifying in this playful, cozy offering. (Ages 2-5)