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Summer
Full of fun, active illustrations, this chunky board book shows the joys of fishing for tadpoles, playing at the beach, eating ice-cream, and enjoying evening picnics.
12 pages, Board Book
First published October 15, 1994
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 13, 2022
This board book with no text was a favourite of my children. The illustrations show lots of great outdoor play, enjoying nature and the seasons. Growing vegetables, sailing wooden boats, a day at the beach, fire flies and lanterns as a family sits around a table in the garden as the nights grow darker and distant lightning threatens, children picking fruit and watering sunflowers.
A downside to this book is that it shows children pond dipping, which is great if done responsibly but it shows them taking what they find home to look at in a tank. I do find this worrying that children could think this was okay, I used this as a reminder that no wildlife should be moved from it's habitat. The last page is sad, hang on! summer has just started and there they are going back to school! Childhood is short enough, let them enjoy the summer Gerda! Lovely illustrations, brings back many wonderful memories of happy outdoor time spent in summer.
A downside to this book is that it shows children pond dipping, which is great if done responsibly but it shows them taking what they find home to look at in a tank. I do find this worrying that children could think this was okay, I used this as a reminder that no wildlife should be moved from it's habitat. The last page is sad, hang on! summer has just started and there they are going back to school! Childhood is short enough, let them enjoy the summer Gerda! Lovely illustrations, brings back many wonderful memories of happy outdoor time spent in summer.
June 14, 2022
Dutch picture-book artist Gerda Muller’s charming wordless tale is devoted (as the title naturally and obviously suggests) to Summer (and there are in fact three other such board books, representing Spring, Fall and Winter respectively).
So yes, Gerda Muller’s artwork in Summer almost exclusively seems to focus on fun and games at the beach, at a pond, and on families enjoying their vacations, having picnics outdoors and obviously also relishing and loving the warm temperatures of Summer. But while I can appreciate and understand Gerda Muller concentrating on the latter in Summer, as this seems to basically also be the general consensus regarding Summer for the majority, well, as someone who often finds the air temperatures in June, July and August much much too hot and too humid, and the beach too crowded, too noisy and rather boring, personally, I would most definitely also be wanting at least a few illustrative spreads in Summer where Gerda Muller is depicting those of us for whom Summer is generally not such an all encompassing joy and pleasure (and not to mention, considering that severe thunderstorms and as such also resulting power outages and fallen trees can also be and often actually are a major part of Summer, I do find it a bit ridiculous that Gerda Muller depicts not even one instance of inclement weather conditions in Summer, and no, for me a few lightning bolts in the far distance do not really count).
Now while I usually do generally prefer textual over wordless picture books, well, Gerda Muller’s illustrations for Summer, they really do not at all require a verbal narrative, since they in my humble opinion clearly visually demonstrate what Summer is all about (a bit too pro summer for me, a bit too one-sidedly positive, but as such of course pretty well perfect for lovers of the season and therefore much recommended). And finally, even though I totally think that with Summer , Gerda Muller has created a true seasonal celebration, I do wonder why the seemingly token African American or African European child is depicted as always scowling, as basically never smiling. Because while I certainly appreciate that with Summer Gerda Muller is obviously trying to be a bit more ethnically diverse with her pictures, I really would for one be wanting more than one child presented in Summer with a darker skin tone and that for two, it really does visually bother me how consistently unsmiling and even potentially nasty that one child’s facial features are depicted, are drawn by Gerda Muller.
So yes, Gerda Muller’s artwork in Summer almost exclusively seems to focus on fun and games at the beach, at a pond, and on families enjoying their vacations, having picnics outdoors and obviously also relishing and loving the warm temperatures of Summer. But while I can appreciate and understand Gerda Muller concentrating on the latter in Summer, as this seems to basically also be the general consensus regarding Summer for the majority, well, as someone who often finds the air temperatures in June, July and August much much too hot and too humid, and the beach too crowded, too noisy and rather boring, personally, I would most definitely also be wanting at least a few illustrative spreads in Summer where Gerda Muller is depicting those of us for whom Summer is generally not such an all encompassing joy and pleasure (and not to mention, considering that severe thunderstorms and as such also resulting power outages and fallen trees can also be and often actually are a major part of Summer, I do find it a bit ridiculous that Gerda Muller depicts not even one instance of inclement weather conditions in Summer, and no, for me a few lightning bolts in the far distance do not really count).
Now while I usually do generally prefer textual over wordless picture books, well, Gerda Muller’s illustrations for Summer, they really do not at all require a verbal narrative, since they in my humble opinion clearly visually demonstrate what Summer is all about (a bit too pro summer for me, a bit too one-sidedly positive, but as such of course pretty well perfect for lovers of the season and therefore much recommended). And finally, even though I totally think that with Summer , Gerda Muller has created a true seasonal celebration, I do wonder why the seemingly token African American or African European child is depicted as always scowling, as basically never smiling. Because while I certainly appreciate that with Summer Gerda Muller is obviously trying to be a bit more ethnically diverse with her pictures, I really would for one be wanting more than one child presented in Summer with a darker skin tone and that for two, it really does visually bother me how consistently unsmiling and even potentially nasty that one child’s facial features are depicted, are drawn by Gerda Muller.
July 2, 2019
A little boy and girl enjoy the wonders of summer in this lovely wordless board book from Dutch picture-book creator Gerda Muller. From playing at the pond to going to the beach, enjoying a family picnic to working in the garden, they participate in many of the classic countryside pursuits...
One of four interrelated board books, each one devoted to a different season, Summer (much like its companions) depicts an idyllic rural life, one in which the children on a farm get to enjoy the beauty and excitement of the natural world around them. The artwork is beautiful, and ably captures the delight of each scene. Muller's four seasonal board books - Spring , Summer , Autumn , Winter - were published individually in this wordless edition by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, although they have also been combined into one book ( Circle of Seasons ) by New York-based Dutton Children's Books, with text added by Lucia Monfried. I have not seen the Monfried title, and cannot comment upon it, but these individual board books are just charming! I recommend them to anyone looking for board books about the four seasons, as well as to anyone who enjoys wordless picture-books.
One of four interrelated board books, each one devoted to a different season, Summer (much like its companions) depicts an idyllic rural life, one in which the children on a farm get to enjoy the beauty and excitement of the natural world around them. The artwork is beautiful, and ably captures the delight of each scene. Muller's four seasonal board books - Spring , Summer , Autumn , Winter - were published individually in this wordless edition by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, although they have also been combined into one book ( Circle of Seasons ) by New York-based Dutton Children's Books, with text added by Lucia Monfried. I have not seen the Monfried title, and cannot comment upon it, but these individual board books are just charming! I recommend them to anyone looking for board books about the four seasons, as well as to anyone who enjoys wordless picture-books.
May 23, 2008
After she loved "Autumn" so much, I had to get this for Arianna. Again, no words - beautiful pictures of children playing doing doing summertime activities. Wonderful!
January 28, 2016
Grade: This book is appropriate for PK to KG
Summary: This little charming book is one of four books about the seasons. It shows a sister and brother at different summer activities in the country side. They are fishing at a pond, setting up an aquarium, playing boats and harvesting vegetables. They play at the beach and share a family picnic and return to school in the fall.
Review: The sensitively drawn color pencil pictures in this small book are full of little details which allow the readers to make up their own stories and side stories. Children love to give the characters names and - often their own ones- and can easily identify with the characters from various ethnic backgrounds. This prereader leaves lots of room for children 19s imagination to develop.
In class uses:
- Name the activities
- Make up a story prompted by the pictures
- Ask children about wat they do/did in the summer
- Let them draw a picture of their favorite summer activity
- Ask the children to think of things they do in their summers which are not represented in this book
- Find and count different animals and insects
Summary: This little charming book is one of four books about the seasons. It shows a sister and brother at different summer activities in the country side. They are fishing at a pond, setting up an aquarium, playing boats and harvesting vegetables. They play at the beach and share a family picnic and return to school in the fall.
Review: The sensitively drawn color pencil pictures in this small book are full of little details which allow the readers to make up their own stories and side stories. Children love to give the characters names and - often their own ones- and can easily identify with the characters from various ethnic backgrounds. This prereader leaves lots of room for children 19s imagination to develop.
In class uses:
- Name the activities
- Make up a story prompted by the pictures
- Ask children about wat they do/did in the summer
- Let them draw a picture of their favorite summer activity
- Ask the children to think of things they do in their summers which are not represented in this book
- Find and count different animals and insects
March 5, 2017
Nicely illustrated book. There are no words to go along but I think this would be a good book for a preschooler or older child to look at. The pictures aren't really bright or simple enough for a baby or young toddler. It shows all the highlights of the season in chronological order from the first day of summer to the first day of school from a child's perspective. Lots of details to look at, but without being cluttered. Good way to introduce the concepts of time !
September 8, 2009
Beautifully illustrated seasonal board book. It contains pictures only, and they absolutely delight my toddler.
July 5, 2018
Nice illustrations to help with understanding summer
July 3, 2022
A wordless book about summer activities; I love the concept. The illustrations have an older feel to them and could use more diversity. Activities shown in the book include catching fish and then putting them in a fish tank, a toy boat floating on a pond, swimming, playing in the sand, holding lanterns and watching butterflies as adults sit nearby, gardening, and on the last page going to school.
November 9, 2014
We love these board books each focusing on a season. The artwork is beautiful. Even though they are wordless, there is so much to talk about in the pictures.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews