A Child's Calendar

Poems by John Updike

Illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman

Holiday House, 1999

Genre: Children's poems; picture book; months

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

24 pages

A Child's Calendar is a book of poems each corresponding to a month of the year. Some of the poems rhyme, some do not. The pictures accurately depict what is being described in the poem. The poems are very unique and descriptive of different things that take place during that month of the year including weather, holidays, etc. For example January's poem starts off with, "The days are short, the sun a spark hung thin between the dark and dark."

I would recommend this book to any young child who enjoys beautiful pictures, and are trying to learn the months of the year, i think their parents will enjoy it also.

I do not personally recognize any conflicts that could come from this book.

I really enjoyed this book, partly for the poems, but mostly for the gorgeous pictures. They are extremely detailed and realistic from the character's hair to the trees and animals. It is very well done.

My rating: 5 out of 5