Wind Watchers

* “Follow a trio of children through the seasons as they ask the Wind, ‘How will you blow today?’ In spring, the brown-skinned youngsters’ dark hair dances animatedly in the breeze as ‘Wind answers with a puff of the petals, making them flutter and fall.’ The lightly personified Wind is playful, even mercurial. In summer, it might respond favorably to their pleas for ‘one big whoooshhh’ to lift their kite. Other times, Wind—who likes ‘to be WILD!’—might cause a tumultuous storm. The narration is conversational, even breezy at times. Short, frequent pops of alliteration and compelling turns of phrase feel wonderfully lyrical, such as a young skater thanking the wintry Wind ‘for the extra-looooong glide.’ Brilliant acrylic ink and intricate collage illustrations are as exuberant as the Wind. The pages are briskly busy, from an autumnal spread showing seed pods soaring as a child watches in awe to a serene, almost quiltlike image of youngsters lying languidly near a pond on a hot summer’s day, begging Wind for a cool gust. The full-bleed spreads are dynamic, featuring gloriously luminous, deeply saturated colors and breathtaking changes of perspective, such as wide eyes peeking out a window onto blurred streaks of ‘swirling snow.’ Upon reaching the satisfying last page, in which the Wind says, ‘Sometimes my work takes my breath away!’ readers will agree: ‘It takes away ours, too.’ Joyful and poetic, a tale that will delight all year long.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “In this exquisite picture book, viewers follow three children eagerly watching and waiting to see what wonders the wind will bring. The wind answers the children’s questions and requests in myriad ways. . . . Sometimes the wind surprises them, staying still and silent, whereas other times it strikes up a storm with a mighty roar. No matter the weather or season, the children are always in awe of the wind as it sweeps through their world. In this companion to the Caldecott Honor book Wonder Walkers, Archer uses the wind as a guide to pique a child’s curiosity and sense of discovery about the ever-changing seasons. Full-bleed collage spreads of richly textured seasonal backdrops, featuring patterned acrylic stamps and layered tissue paper, harmonize in an easy-breezy manner, while lively alliteration enhances the lyrical narrative to convey the wind’s unpredictable behavior and its interactions with the children. The use of perspective and line captures the wind’s dynamic movement. . . . The saturated colors reflect the children’s mood and activities. . . . This is a grand introduction for viewers to reflect on how their own experiences are shaped by the weather and recognize how the wind’s magic can take their breath away.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

“In lilting words and elegant collage spreads by Caldecott Honoree Archer, three children are shown encountering the varied powers of wind across the seasons. . . . Fully developed right to the edges, tapestry-like spreads consistently offer new things to find—the interesting shadows of beach umbrellas, a distant house with its windows alight—in this captivating year-long study of an elusive, invisible force.” —Publishers Weekly

“Lyrically covers the experience of wind. . . . Season by season, [Archer] takes readers on a journey through encounters with the wind: flying a kite, watching ripples in a pond, chasing dandelion seeds, and jumping in fallen leaves. It’s a book that covers how wind is invisible, but its force blows spring petals to the ground. It makes, at times, no sound, but it wrestles with wind chimes in the evening. Archer stays true to her style, shaping a journey through steadfast inquiry and vibrant illustrations, bringing the sensory experience to life. A fresh and poetic offering for wind and weather-themed story times. Recommended for all picture book collections.” —School Library Journal

“Three children experience the invisible power of the wind over the course of a year. . . The lyrical, poetic language is easy to read aloud, and thoughtful positioning of text on the page creates a sense of cohesion with each image. Archer’s masterful use of acrylic ink and paper art showcases a variety of techniques, compositions, and perspectives. From the glittering depth of collaged streaming rain to the textured, sleepy haze of a darkened bedroom, each page-turn inspires the same wonder Archer depicts in the faces of her three awestruck subjects.” —The Horn Book

“This lyrical picture book gently explores the changing seasons through the eyes of a group of children and their connection with the wind. The wind serves as both a guide and companion throughout the changing seasons. . . . The wind is playful, wild, caring, and informative, revealed in ways such as using wind chimes to lull the children to sleep or surprising the children with its wild, untamed energy during a thunderstorm. The narrative beautifully captures the essence of nature's changing moods and the cyclical flow of seasons. With vibrant, expressive illustrations and a poetic tone, this book invites readers to marvel at the wind's many forms and the quiet lessons it imparts about nature and time. This tender tale highlights the beauty of the natural world while inviting readers to find wonder in everyday moments.” —Booklist

Micha Archer
Micha Archer (MichaArcher.com) wrote and illustrated the Caldecott Honor Book Wonder Walkers, as well as the Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Daniel Finds a Poem and its companions, What’s New, Daniel? and Daniel’s Good Day, and has also illustrated several other picture books, including Girl Running (by Annette Bay Pimentel). Micha works in inks and collage on paper she creates with homemade stamps and layered tissue paper. She comes from a long line of artists and teachers and taught for many years in a kindergarten. She lives in western Massachusetts in the house she and her husband built, surrounded by gardens and forests to roam in.