Drawn from Nature

In this lovely rumination on the seasons, Ahpornsiri uses hand-pressed flowers, leaves, and stems to create intricate portraits of wild animals and their environments. Each of the book’s four sections is subdivided into paragraphs that highlight some of the changes taking place: birds building their nests and butterflies collecting nectar in the spring, the chirping of crickets and the activity of nocturnal animals in the summer, and so on. Ahpornsiri surrounds her carefully arranged tableaus with white space, providing a sense of tranquility and allowing readers to observe each delicate detail: fuzzy ferns form the antlers of deer competing for a mate in autumn, and a single rust- colored petal forms the distinctive breast of a robin, a rare spot of color in winter. It’s an elegant and distinctive portrait of the changing seasons. Ages 6–9. (Mar.)