cover image The Same Wind

The Same Wind

Bette Killion. HarperCollins Publishers, $15 (31pp) ISBN 978-0-06-021050-2

This picture book debut of both collaborators features stylish, primitivist artwork. The narrator (an unnamed girl) asks the wind in all its various appearances in differing climes and regions, ``Are you the same wind?'' Killion depicts a diversity of scenes ranging from ``southern swamps'' to ``the forests of the North'' to ``rocky slopes and ledges.'' While her evocative, sometimes flowery language seems unsuited to a young voice, the text nevertheless presents forceful images. Falk's richly colored, borderless paintings--set dramatically opposite stark white pages with minimal text--evoke the wind's energy and power with vigorous, sweeeping strokes. A lusterless jacket, unfortunately, belies the impressive artwork within. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)