I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea

Toddler-Gr 2–Neveah, under the protective and loving gaze of her mother, enjoys the four seasons without the use of sight. Nothing is said about her sightlessness; the other four senses are emphasized for each season. She tastes snowflakes during the winter, smells spring flowers in the air, hears the buzzing of bees in the summer, and feels scratchy leaves during fall. The beautiful watercolor and crayon illustration cradle Neveah, much like her mother does as the year passes, creating a comforting and soothing feeling. The child dances through the illustrations with movement felt in every picture: she waves at the ocean, delicately touches flowers, and makes a snowman that seems to bow back. Onomatopoeia is sprinkled throughout with happy “cheerily-cheerily-cheer-up” from the robins, welcoming the spring and a “scruunnch!” of boots in the snow illustrating how the girl enjoys the natural world with her hearing.