Heidi Cooper Smith, Secrets of the Seasons, Windy Hollow Books, July 2022, 28 pp., RRP $25.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780645323542
Secrets of the Seasons is both a sensual and informative story. As a reader it feels like the Australian bush is all encompassing. Sounds and sights, fragrances, and tastes – a complete immersion in a unique environment. Completely relatable to readers who have experienced the Australian seasons but for those who have not, Secrets of the Seasons promises a journey into a diverse land full of unexpected beauty.
Heidi Cooper Smith has written this story in both rhyme and prose. The text invites reader participation with an appropriate use of active language. It also lends itself to a deeper investigation into language devices such as synonyms, onomatopoeia, and an innovation of text. The carefully constructed text also offers cross curricular links to Science and Geography.
Heidi Cooper Smith is responsible for both the text and the illustrations. Her illustration style combines watercolour and digital techniques. Beautifully constructed illustrations not only complement the text but are visually mesmerising for the reader. A palette of perfect colours, soft lines and expressive graphical character development capture the cycle of the seasons and the subsequent effect they have on the characters and ultimately the reader. And in the spring the reader can observe the signs of new life in the trees, the Earth and the echidna and its baby – the four seasons and the circle of life.
Secrets of the Seasons is a thoroughly enjoyable story.
Recommended for ages 3-6.
Reviewed by Julie Deane
