When Spring Comes

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; Newbery Honors for Olive’s Ocean and The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include Is It Spring?, The World and Everything in It, A House, A Parade of Elephants, Chrysanthemum, and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.Laura Dronzek is a painter whose work has been exhibited nationally. Her picture books include Moonlight, by Helen V. Griffith; It Is Night, by Phyllis Rowand; White Is for Blueberry, by George Shannon; Little Houses, by Kevin Henkes; and a quartet of seasonal picture books also by Kevin Henkes. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

“Dronzek’s cozy paintings combine the simplified shapes of plants, creatures, and children…Henkes is honest about spring’s more trying moments, weaving themes of waiting and patience throughout…Readers, especially those who live in regions that experience the full range of changing seasons, will warm to this catalog of familiar joys.” — Publishers Weekly“A read-aloud dream, the meticulous text catalogs Spring’s awakenings and its characteristic weather. …Dronzek’s thick-lined, bright acrylics are as simultaneously wry and joyous as the text…Henkes and Dronzek make waiting almost as much fun—if not more so—than the payoff.” — Kirkus Reviews“No harm comes to the bunnies, birds and kittens in Laura Dronzek’s deliciously colorful paintings for ‘When Spring Comes,’ a gentle picture book written by Kevin Henkes. …From brown to green, from eggs to birds, from seeds to flowers, seasonal changes transpire sweetly in these pages.” — Wall Street Journal“Henkes creates a childlike and child-friendly cadence with the rhythms of his writing, and the robust, thickly outlined art carries plenty of kid appeal as well. …Expect this to see heavy use in classrooms and library story hours.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“Henkes and Dronzek once again perfectly capture the quiet wonder of the natural world, as they did in Birds and Oh! …Dronzek’s vivacious acrylic illustrations, their bright colors emphasized by the thick black outlines, complement Henkes’s spare but lyrical prose. A must-have, joyful seasonal title for the youngest listeners.” — School Library Journal (starred review)“In a gently rhythmic text and lush, vibrant paintings, this husband-and-wife author-illustrator team ushers in spring, capturing the season’s sights, sounds, and surprises. …This joyful reflection is as welcome as spotting the first brave crocus.” — Horn Book (starred review)“Lyrical and elegant in its simplicity, this is an enchanting celebration of the season to pair with Oh!, the paean to winter created by this same husband-and-wife team.” — Booklist (starred review)