When?

by Leo Lionni

From sunup to sundown, winter through fall, Leo Lionni's signature illustration style and a toddler-friendly text ask a simple When is time of day/season? One of four board books that celebrates the art and imagination of Leo Lionni, this book is a perfect introduction to the concepts of time and seasons for busy toddlers, as well as a wonderful stepping stone into the world of one of our best-loved children's book creators.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

16 pages, Board Book

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Leo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner--for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.

Leo Lionni has gained international renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.

Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.

Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.

Reviews

[Heather Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

lily summer reading 2018, nature, seasons, time of day,

[The Transmuted Tree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red 3rd

[Tatiana Gomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

coleção que fala de como se constroi uma história: o quê, como; quem? quando? onde? porquê? muito bonita a ilustração de colagem.

[Catalina Bilandzija · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit boring for me.

[Jenae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple but educational and interesting

[Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Where? is full of answers that fail to truly answer the questions we're asking inside, When? does nothing but pepper us with questions. Normally, this would turn me off, as I enjoy a bit of exposition and closure in my novels. But the nature of the questions left me turning the pages until I was done, eager to face the next interrogation head-on.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This board book encourages the knowledge of times of the year and times of day. The pictures are done in typical Lionni style with objects pieced together. Short and sweet.

[Aaliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaliyah could answer all the questions in this book. Yay, Lee Lee! <3

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book illustrates basic concept of time (seasons & times of day). It gets the point across and has fun little mice that demonstrate and embark on what "when" actually means.