FROM THE PUBLISHER

Opposite the simple declarative sentence, "Walter was worried" is a portrait of a very worried Walter. But wait! The letters that spell out his feelings form his facial characteristics, as well as his expression. Gradually a simple story unfolds: the sky grows dark, the fog rolls in, lightning lights the sky, and thunder shakes the trees; Priscilla was puzzled, Shirley was shocked, Frederick was frightened... and eventually (when the sun came out) Henry was hopeful, and Elliot ecstatic.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Seeger, who played with letterforms in The Hidden Alphabet, gives new meaning to the word "typeface" here. In this diverting book, oversize adjectives describe children's reactions to changing weather, and the letters in each word reappear in close-up portraits. "Walter was worried when... the sky grew dark," and a spiky W shape on Walter's cheek implies his anxiety. Observant readers soon notice that Walter's eyes are a lowercase O and E, printed in green, and his eyebrows are black lowercase Rs, tipped sideways; his nose is a long straight I, and his frown is a red capital D, turned flat side down. The storm gets worse ("Frederick was frightened when... thunder shook the trees"), but "Delilah was delighted when... the rain turned to snow." Seeger spells out eight key words in multicolored, variable type, then paints corresponding pictures with the tilting or upside-down shapes as facial features; abstract illustrations of flashing lightning and blowing leaves serve as a buffer between each descriptive portrait. The children's names match the alliterative adjectives ("Ursula was upset.... Henry was hopeful"), and readers toy with letter recognition and spelling as they search the faces. The design formula is uncomplicated, but typesetters will be tickled and printers pleased by Seeger's emotive imagery. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D.

Laura Vaccaro Seeger, an Emmy award-winning artist, has once again created a distinct concept book for young readers. Children's faces (depicted with letters of the alphabet) react to thunder, fog, and other weather conditions. Seeger introduces children to feelings (worried, puzzled, shocked, frightened, upset, delighted, hopeful, and ecstatic) and weather changes. With colorful illustrations, Seeger takes young readers on an educational journey through the imagination. 2005, Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, Ages 2 to 7.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Seeger combines word art and simple text to tell the story of children's reactions to a storm. As it progresses from dark clouds to thunder to rain to snow and, finally, to sun, a different individual is introduced. The youngsters' emotions are literally spelled out on their faces (Walter was worried; Priscilla was puzzled; Shirley was shocked) as the letters of the alliterative adjectives are used to portray their features. For example, E's are put on their backs to become eyebrows; a C and a D are turned upside down to become eyes, and an L becomes a nose. The choice of names and adjectives is equally wide ranging and inventive, combining Ursula and Elliot with upset and ecstatic. The artwork uses bold colors with wide brush marks as backdrops and primary colors with almost graphic shapes to represent rain, snow flakes, leaves, and branches. With only one sentence per page, there is surprising depth in this wonderful collaboration of art and story.-Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Moods can change as quickly as the weather, and this innovative concept book cleverly illustrates the range and volatility of both. Walter, for example, was worried when the sky grew dark. The first spread reveals a full-page painting of Walter's concerned-looking face, where his very features are composed of letters that spell "worried"; the red D is his mouth, the green "o" and "e" are his eyes, etc. The next spread shows what worries Walter: a dramatic, charcoal-colored sky, contrasted by a red kite. In the second sequence, "Priscilla was puzzled when . . . " (note alliteration and turn the page) "the fog rolled in." In a lovely, muted painting, fog drifts through a forest, softening colors, including that of the reappearing red kite. By the end, the storm has passed, and the whole crew of eight traipses about under sunny skies with the red kite. Opportunities for read-aloud interaction abound here; children may enjoy spelling out the face-words or discussing how they feel in different climatic scenarios, from puzzling fog to shocking lightning to frightening thunder. (Picture book. 3-7)