All around a year

An anthropomorphized, multigenerational rodent family experiences highs and lows over the course of a year. "When this story ends, it will begin again. That's how it works." Readers initially drawn to the book's cute and quirky comic aesthetic might be surprised by the unexpected poignancy of this tale, translated from Spanish. Directly and affably addressing its audience, the story's narrator invites young people to reflect on cyclicality, special events that punctuate each season, and the way small changes can add up to big transformations. Starting with winter, each season transitions into the next, accompanied by wryly humorous descriptions of the shifting weather. Sure, spring means that "butterflies and bees will start partying all day long," but it also brings "sneezes of all kinds." Mice with delightfully oversize ears participate in seasonal activities such as building a "yeti out of snow," attending a rustic, energetically illustrated fall festival, and indulging in a "voracious and inexplicable need for…ice cream!" Brief, relatable moments sprinkled throughout--such as an exasperated mother fitting a "too itchy" sweater on a reluctant child or a terrifying but triumphant leap into the pool--will inspire nods of solidarity. Big changes, including Mom's progressing pregnancy, reiterate the book's theme: By year's end, "some things will be different….That's just how it works." The offbeat animals, outlined in dark ink and digitally colored in muted tones, brim with personality and charm. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish. Nuanced and touching.(Picture book. 4-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.