Lizi Boyd's wordless book chronicles one child's exploration of the four seasons, and presents views of nature's cycle from inside and outside the boy's home.
The action begins in wintertime. Through die-cut holes, which serve as windows, snowmen peek inside to where the boy hero prepares seeds for planting. With a turn of the page, the die-cut windows shift the focus from the interior to the outside, where the child builds snowfolk. Over the next few page turns, the colors of spring appear outside the windows. The boy spreads out books, pencils, paints and paper inside the house to document his findings. The artwork the child creates--indoors--reflects the growing season coming to life outdoors: the birds singing in the trees, rain falling, sprouts popping. Then turtle, fish, a pond and boats signal summer. His works of art reveal his own unusual interpretation of each season's joy. Finally, he rakes the leaves, then moves back inside to a puppet theater, as hints of winter bring readers full circle.
Boyd's book is a celebration of imagination and creativity throughout the year, providing ideas for play and creation at home (and beyond). Gouache painting on kraft paper gives the proceedings a natural, understated feel. A variety of characters appear throughout the book, providing a subtle seek-and-find for readers as they look for the child, the dog, the cat and the mice. Inside Outside is a book to return to again and again, with new discoveries to be made with each rereading. --Mollie Welsh Kruger, graduate faculty, Bank Street College of Education