Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens: A Book About the Four Seasons

by Louise Borden

illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Scholastic, 1989, 30 pages

What characteristics of each of the four seasons is important to a small child? Well, here are some highlights from this book:

Winter is a lot of stuff to put on and a lot of stuff to get off!

Spring is grass, grass, grass.
 Dad cuts the grass and cuts the grass and cuts the grass.

Summer is hot, hot, hot. 
 Lots of hot dogs. Hot dog and hot dogs.

Fall is lots of smells. Nuts and pumpkins and corn in husks.

(The comment about spring is the most amusing for our family.)

This book has been read to pieces by our children, and we're not done with it yet. It describes what children notice, and what interests them. It's a great teaching tool for the changes that happen through the year. And the illustrations are friendly-looking and contain lots of details to talk about.

It would be most appreciated by toddlers and preschoolers, and would also be good as a book for beginning readers.