Spring Thaw

by Steven Schnur, Stacey Schuett (Illustrator)

As the winter chill fades, the signs of spring suddenly begin to appear everywhere around the farm, in a charming tale about the cycle of life for young readers.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2000

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a simple text as flowing and caressing as the warm wind that signals the start of spring, Spring Thaw, written by Steven Schnur, with accompanying illustrations by Stacey Schuett, describes in evocative detail (both narratively and visually) the many signs of early spring on the farm, in the woods, in the countryside. There is not much of an actual storyline, and thus, no real narrative tension presented, but Spring Thaw does not really require this. It is simply and beautifully an atmospheric evocation of winter turning to spring, perfect for sharing with a young child (or a group of young children) on a lazy, relaxing morning, afternoon or evening. Of course, if you are fortunate enough to live in or near a rural area, a trek outside, so your child, your children, can actually experience, discover and observe the many signs of early spring first-hand would be an added bonus, the perfect sequel, so to speak.

I have actually had to read Spring Thaw a couple of times to get a true appreciation for Stacey Schuett's accompanying illustrations. While I do (and always) find her depictions, her renderings of natural scenes, of animals, of intimate objects both lush and glowingly descriptive (and as such a perfect complement to and mirror of the gentle tone and rhythm of Steven Schnur's narrative), her human figures (especially up close) at first tend to appear a trifle too bold, and too in-your-face for my personal liking. However, after rereading a couple of times, I do now tend to find that I have actually grown much accustomed to this factoid and am no longer bothered all that much by this aspect of Stacey Schuett's artistic style. That being said, I still think that it is primarily the natural scenes, the animals, the birds, the trees that make, that render Stacey Schuett's illustrations so magical and wonderful (with my favourite illustrative spread most definitely being the simple and single crocus on the last page, the one flower that really and truly shows that it is spring at last, and that winter has indeed and finally gone).

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly lovely book about the coming of spring, so evocative by using snow & running water, wild & domestic animals, with gorgeous colors and illustrations. This is a very quiet book. There’s no exciting story, no real story of any kind, but its pages will keep kids engrossed and excited. Just beautiful! It was a perfect choice for the Children's Books group Picture Books Club, whose theme for May is spring. I’m glad I got a copy to read before the end of the month.

There’s even some maple syrup included, as there have been in some of the other spring books.

The text is poetic, the illustrations are special, and the book does a good job of showing the many changes that take place in early spring. From the flower bud on the book’s cover, to the hemlock trees, to the innocent looking raccoon, to the birds eating crumbs, to the melting snow, and the maple syrup, I was charmed.

This is a wonderful book to share with children who can appreciate a book without any bells & whistles, including helping children who love books full of excitement, see how this book fits the bill too, just in a somewhat different way.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering the fact that it is 10 degrees today (with a windchill of -9), reading this book seems like only wishful thinking. Yet, as I look out at my frozen, snow-covered lawn, it's comforting to remind myself that in less than a month and a half, green shoots will be poking through the ground, soon to be reaching toward the sun, and bursting with tiny purple flowers. (Shortly thereafter to be eaten by deer and rabbits, but . . . oh, well.)

Schnur's story is a simple one: a warm wind sighs through the hemlocks one night, and snow begins to melt. Animals, sensing a change in the air, become more active. The frozen lake creaks and cracks as ice begins to break up. Syrup drips out of the maple trees into waiting buckets. And a brave crocus pushes up through the snow.

I LOVED Stacey Schuett's soft illustrations. At the beginning of the book, she uses a cool palette - greens, and icy blues guaranteed to bring shivers, but by the final pages, her painted skies are filled with warm pinks, yellows, and the lovely orange glow of a happy sunset.

A beautiful reflection on nature's majesty.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spring Thaw, the story of the day when the snow begins to melt and spring starts to appear, worked its gentle magic on me. I loved the way the story built, full of subtle expectation then building as more and more elements of spring began to appear. I thought some of the (admittedly few) words were so well-chosen and evocative of the subject, such as the heart-shaped hoof prints left behind by the deer. Lovely! I also really enjoyed the illustrations. (The raccoon is especially adorable!) I especially enjoyed it because I do not live in a place that gets snow like this and so I have never experienced a "spring thaw." I felt the book did a good job of conveying the joy and awe of the experience.

[J9 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids won't be interested too much in the story, my 5 yr old was a little bit. But what really makes this book special are the paintings. You can actually see the brush strokes on the canvas, and for those of you, like me, who think snow and weather change is beautiful, you will appreciate this book. Also, my husband taps our maple trees for syrup and there is the old fashioned way of doing this in the book. The process was interesting and something my son could relate to. A few bigger words that might lead some to think it over the heads of children, but I think those people don't give our kids enough credit. Many years ago, children had to learn to read and write by the few books their family could acquire. Most often it was the Bible and Shakespeare, if they were lucky. Kids will never learn to infer more from language if you don't give them the chance. This book does that as well as expand their exposure to beautiful art. Loved it.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The spring thaw comes to a northern farm in this engaging picture-book from author Steven Schnur and illustrator Stacey Schuett, beginning with a "warm wind late at night," and progressing through a gradual melting of the snow, a quickening of the maple sap, and the appearance of one purple crocus. As a raccoon emerges from his winter den, a pregnant doe seeks a resting place, and a cardinal sings from the pine tree, a boy and his grandfather observe it all...

A lovely, understated look at the changing of the seasons, Spring Thaw has a quiet charm that is very appealing, with a gentle narrative that slowly unfolds - much like the changes being depicted - and beautiful illustrations that capture the late winter/early spring environment. I have distinct childhood memories of looking every year for the first crocus (usually purple), as the early harbinger of spring, so I was particularly appreciative of the conclusion.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about the beginning of Spring, the time of the year when the snow begins to melt for the last time and the Spring flowers begin to come up. The animals awaken from hibernation and new babies are born. It's a quiet story, with a short narrative and full-page illustrations that are muted, with subtle shades of color. It's a nice story to read aloud (and definitely a good one for bedtime) and we enjoyed reading it together.

This book was chosen as one of the selections for the May 2011 Spring-time themed books at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads. I'm glad that this book was a selection as I might not have read it otherwise.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting because nobody really writes about seasons transitioning to the next and how messy the process can sometimes be… they’re either set in the dead of winter with full snow and merry holidays or sunny and beautiful springs with rain showers and beautiful flowers… well one season to the next overnight is definitely not the case in most places, including the Midwest. This book is the book for in-between!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely children's book, showing the emerging sings of spring. The illustrations were beautiful.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story with beautiful illustrations about the coming of spring.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 03-22-2023

[Shelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely simple story of the first day of spring, told through the point of view of a farmer and his son. I do not live in an area that snows or even gets very cold, but the illustrations and text do a wonderful job of describing how good that first warmer day with sunshine must feel after a long cold snowy winter.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

really interesting - more about spring and what happens around it - good pictures and interesting information (picture book)

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations. Beautiful verbal imagery. I love the rooted feeling of being tied to the earth and nature and seasons and family.

[Benjamin Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures are wonderful, providing a sense of atmosphere that runs throughout the book. The prose is nice too, definitely sets the tone. I really enjoyed it, but my son thought it was boring.