Ready for Spring.

Janet Collins is a freelance writer in Sechelt, British Columbia.

Marthe Jocelyn has compiled four colourful board books to help young readers learn the names of articles of clothing worn at different times of year. With the exception of the girl in the swimsuit on the cover of Ready for Summer, the images of children are androgynous while the clothing described in all the books is suitable for both boys and girls (although each book also includes at least one dress or skirt).

A comparison of the various types of clothes, pajamas for example, illustrates how the style and fabric of a single garment changes as the seasons change—flannel-footed jammies in the winter, cotton shorts and short-sleeved top in summer. Socks are described as “fuzzy” in winter, as mere “socks” in spring and autumn, and eliminated altogether in the summer book.

Most of the clothing described will be well-known to both children and adults reading along. However, some items are given less familiar names. For example, the “rain boots” of spring morph into “galoshes” in autumn, and “boots” in winter. Why not “boots” in all of the books? Consistency would help reinforce the words in the minds of young readers. On the other hand, words evolve over time and change with culture. (This reviewer is old enough to remember when a “hoodie” was called a “kangaroo.”)

Picky points aside, the books are a fun way to help build a preschooler’s vocabulary. Recommended.