More Than Sunny

This playful picture book debut by chapter book author Johannes follows a pair of freckled white siblings as they frolic through the seasons, with the older pigtailed child communicating a sunny outlook to a younger, less enthusiastic sibling. “It’s sunny...” one verso page reads, showing the older sibling smiling at a family of ducks in a pond. “And mucky!” The younger complains, splashing in the shore’s mud alongside the family dog. “I say it’s sunny and ducky!” The older child rejoins, happily flapping their arms while holding feathers. The rhythmic prose, shown in a crayon-esque lettering, traces the siblings’ passing days and the seasons: “Breezy and buzzy/ summer and fuzzy!” transitions to “winter.../ and waity” before a sweet close focuses on a turnaround—and the night sky. Dynamic art rendered in pencil and mixed media on tracing paper and finished digitally matches the text’s energy in this charming seasonal perusal. Ages 4–8. [em](May) [/em]