Shakespeare's Seasons

Shakespeare's Seasons. Miriam Weiner. Illustrated by Shannon Whitt. 2012. Downtown Bookworks. 32 pages.

 Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.

Though I'm not a big fan of poetry--usually--I am a fan of Shakespeare. Though my appreciation for Shakespeare has only continued to grow as I grow older. (I'm not so sure I *loved* Shakespeare as a teen having to read Romeo and Juliet, Juliet Caesar, MacBeth, etc.) While I'm sure most of his sonnets and a good many of his plays were required reading in college, I haven't always stayed in touch with his work. (Though I've continued to read and reread and reread my favorite plays: Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream) So I was excited to see this picture book! Now, did I love each and every page, each and every spread? Did I love every single quote they used? I wouldn't go that far in my praise. But did I like it? Did I appreciate it? Did I like spending time reading and rereading certain pages of it? Did I like the artwork, the illustrations? Yes. Some of the spreads were just lovely. And they highlight, in my opinion, the timeless nature of poetry, of Shakespeare. Of how relevant he remains to each and every generation.

At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows,
But like of each thing that in season grows. (Love's Labour's Lost)

 The purest spring is not so free from mud. (Henry VI, Part 2)

The illustrations are very interesting! Perhaps just as interesting as Shakespeare's quotes!

Read Shakespeare's Seasons

• If you're looking for a poetry-rich picture book to share with children
• If you're looking for a picture book to 'prove' your case that Shakespeare is timeless and continues to be relevant

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews