One sky

Stained glass--like cutouts depict the sky from dawn to dusk. Caldecott Honor author/illustrator Becker takes readers on a visually striking, poetic journey through the day with the vibrant sky as the backdrop. The board book opens, "Its dawn begins in darkness," and a swirl of thick black lines and geometric cutouts scrawl across the page. The cutouts, scattered throughout, have colorful, translucent inserts. Holding them up to a light source (for most success, try a sunny window) gives these a stained-glass effect in a palette matching the page. Each cutout complements the page that it is first found on as well as the next layout, mimicking the way the sky shifts subtly throughout the day, with colors evolving and deepening but not completely vanishing. Becker's blend of hues is strategically chosen to resemble the delicate mix of blues, purples, and pinks that accompany an early morning sky. As the day progresses, there are orangey pinks, light blues, and little white patches that suggest clouds. The darkening sky at dusk reflects the morning's pinks and purples until it becomes a dark purple with white sprays of stars: night. Between Becker's poetic text, featuring satisfying alliteration ("We wonder at its wildness") and the amazing sense of movement and color, readers are treated to a feast for the ears, eyes, and imagination. Lyrically dazzling, artistically stunning. (Board book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.