ANNOTATION

Throughout the seasons in northern Vermont, Darrell helps his neighbors with snowplowing, supplying wood, and excavation work, never finding time to fix his own barn roof, but when a windstorm passes through town, he finds his kindness to his neighbors returned.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

If he isn't at the Barretts' house, delivering firewood with his dump truck, you might find Darrell on his backhoe, digging a swimming hole for the Murphys, or, depending on the season, plowing the Harts' steep driveway with his snowplow. Darrell makes sure each family has what they need for every season- which means he rarely has time for his own home. So when a fierce storm blows into town, how will Darrell, too, end up safe and sound? Vibrant woodcuts accompany this warm, gentle story of neighbors helping neighbors in a small-town community set in the North.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Schubert's (Winnie Plays Ball) warm-hearted story not only evokes the northern Vermont countryside where both author and illustrator live, but it also celebrates a way of life in a rural community where neighbors help each other through the year. Beginning with a below zero winter snow and ending with a golden autumn, readers observe Darrell chopping and hauling extra wood to keep a poor family warm, rising at four a.m. to plow people's driveways, and digging a basement with his backhoe, but he neglects to heed his wife's warnings to fix the roof on their own barn. Azarian's (Snowflake Bentley) hand-colored woodcuts highlight the beauty to be found in each season. While at times the people and Darrell's dog seem uncharacteristically frozen in space, more often the detailed woodcuts brim with homely, individualized portraits and picturesque landscapes. When the fall wind damages Darrell's roof, the families repay his many kindnesses by pitching in to raise a new one. Although the narrative hero is Darrell, Schubert inserts several children into the text: Darrell lets Tommy climb into his truck to plow a hill of snow, digs an extra hole so Andy can have a frog pond and promises to teach the Barrett children how to whittle. Unfortunately, the interaction with the children seems tacked on rather than integral to the story, and children may find this tale about a kind workman a bit too removed to be of interest. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4-A delightful tale about seasonal life in northern New England. The story opens in winter as Darrell layers himself in long underwear, wool socks, and flannel shirts, readying himself to plow his neighbors' driveways. In springtime, the man and his dog deliver firewood in a dump truck, battling with mud season; in summertime, when "the black flies are biting," he uses his backhoe on excavation jobs. Children will be captivated by the details of Darrell's labors, his machinery, and Schubert's imagery. When his truck is deep in the snow, the man "rocks the truck back and forth, back and forth. The tires swirl, the engine whines, and the back end swings-." As he moves through the seasons and his chores, he procrastinates about fixing his own ailing barn. The book ends with a roof raising, initiated by the neighbors he has helped throughout the year. Distinguished, detailed woodcuts illustrate the book. This is a strong addition that will be a pleasure to pair with many other books on the seasons, neighbors, and communities.-Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Rural Northern Vermont is heartwarming through all seasons when neighbors help each other. At four a.m. one winter morning, the temperature two degrees below zero, an older man named Darrell pulls on his boots and heads out to plow his neighbors' driveways. One neighbor child jumps into his lap and helps steer for a minute. The next vignette shows spring, in which Darrell chops wood; the recipients don't know when they'll be able to pay, but Darrell cares more about keeping their kids warm through the spring chill. Summer and fall show Darrell helping again-though never fixing his own barn roof, a fact that worries his wife. When gusty winds blow the barn roof clean away, neighbors gather for a roof-raising and some functional gratitude. In this community, organic warmth emerges from action. Azarian's folksy, unpretentious woodcuts are hand-tinted with cheerful watercolors, bringing to life the four New England seasons and the friendly, practical relationships they can foster. (Picture book. 3-6)