Review "Young children learn through imitation and movement. If that movement is filled with imaginative pictures, they are able to take it up in their whole being and express it outwardly in their play. Claudia Lenart's book Seasons of Joy uses the artistic medium of needle-felted wool to express the joy of children in movement at every season of the year." --Barbara Patterson, retired Waldorf Extra Lesson teacher in private practice, author of Beyond the Rainbow Bridge: Nurturing Our Children from Birth to Seven"In Seasons of Joy, Claudia Lenart uses her beautiful rhyming prose to tell a classic tale of the changing of the seasons and the carefree pleasure of playing outside all year around. The details in every scene are meticulous and refined, down to the distinct wing pattern of a butterfly and the catchlight in a squirrel's eye. This book is exactly what it sets out to be - a joy to read and an inspiration for nature play for children everywhere." --Linda Akeson McGurk, journalist, blogger at Rain or Shine Mama, author of There's No Such Thing As Bad Weather"What a treat to meander through the seasons with these wonderful words and beautiful wool paintings. Claudia is an extraordinary fiber artist who has the special talent of bringing magical scenes to life. A delight for adults and children alike." -- Donni Webber, www.TheMagicOnions.com, author of Magical Miniature Gardens and HomesSeasons of Joy is a beautifully illustrated narrative poem celebrating children's joy in the changing seasons. The author of the delicate poetic narrative is a celebrated fiber artist who creates a tapestry of lively figures, children, animals, forests, and lakes, using felted wool and other fibers needle poked into a lifelike sculpture of fantastic animals, flowers, figures and scenes. The textures of her fiber canvas are palable and very lifelike. Her poetry is no less inspiring: "In Spring, we picnic in velvet green meadows, /We pretend to be queens, kings, heroes./ The meadow is an emerald sea filled with pirates./ Our day is long;, the world is fresh and beautiful./ We can dream anything." Young readers will be delighted and intrigued by the poetic descriptions and the amazing artworks, which inspire imaginative nature play for everyone. Aimed at an audience aged 3-5 years, Seasons of Joy is a literary and artistic treasure for today's children and future generations. -- James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review Read more About the Author Claudia Marie Lenart is a fiber artist from northern Illinois. She experimented in the arts and handwork since childhood and while pursuing a career as a journalist. While her son was in Waldorf school, she discovered needle felting and found her true passion.  Her soft sculpture characters are created by repeatedly poking wool and other natural fibers, like alpaca, with a barbed needle. Claudia pioneered a distinct style of illustrating books using wool as the medium. She illustrated three books for the late children's author Jewel Kats.  Claudia is a nature enthusiast and spent three summers working in national parks out west as a young adult. Daily walks in the woods with her dog inspire her wool paintings and wildlife sculptures.   To see her work, visit claudiamariefelt.com. Read more
C**L
Beautifully illusyrated.
My four year old grandson is fascinated by the illustrations in this book.
A**R
Five Stars
What a great and inspiring book to getting the kids to love to play in all seasons.
L**A
Three Stars
Illustrations are very nice.
W**R
great way to get kids outdoors
Do your kids prefer to sit inside watching television and playing video games? Or do they enjoy playing outside in the fresh air and warm sunshine? This picture book pairs dreamy images of children, animals, flowers, and trees captured in needle-felted wool paintings with a rhythmic text that expresses the joy which young children can experience in nature’s seasons. In the spring, they can run, hop, and jump up and down the grassy hills like newborn bunnies while they picnic in the meadow and look at the flowers. In the summer, they can play hide and seek in the woods and chase butterflies all day until the fireflies arrive.In the autumn, they can pile the fallen leaves high, jump on the mound, and then pile them up again. What are some things which you might think that they can do in the winter? Author and illustrator Claudia Marie Lenart is a fiber artist whose soft sculpture characters are created by repeatedly poking wool and other natural fibers, like alpaca, with a barbed needle. In Seasons of Joy, she shares the pure and simple delight of children playing outside. This is an important message. Everyone agrees that youngsters need to get away from sedentary pastimes and do more physical activity. What a fun way to encourage the kids to get out of the house and spend time playing outdoors and connecting to nature!
B**E
Astonishing art work
I previously reviewed a book that was illustrated by Lenart. I loved the illustrations and was greatly impressed by its uniqueness. I gave the book 5 stars. This picture book is Lenart’s first attempt at writing as well as illustrating. I am very pleased to see that she has competence in both areas.The book explores the four seasons, three pages dedicated to each one. The story is written in poetic prose and although there are occasional rhymes, it does not try to be a rhyming book. On each page, children participate in imaginative, child driven, outdoor activities. For example, in spring, they play like otters in the water, create a fairy bed, and pretend they can fly like the butterflies. All the activities the children do are either free or inexpensive. All they need is a safe space outside and an imagination.The prose is lovely.“We sway to the wind’s song under crimson showers.”“We play until the sun paints the trees a copper hue.”The illustrations are even lovelier. I am amazed at what this artist can do with fibers. The deer looks as though it could leap off the page. The children are innocent and adorable without being saccharine. Many of the pictures would make beautiful prints for a nursery. I especially love the winter scene with the falling snow.Highly recommended.I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
M**M
This book is a beautiful celebration of childhood and nature.
While geared toward younger children, this book is a poignant reminder for every one of the joy spent sitting in a tree (or fort) surrounded by flowers or leaves swirling all around, swimming during summer break, picking pumpkins at a maze, and playing for hours in the snow. Claudia’s felted-wool illustrations capture these exciting moments in unusually soft, enticing, 3-D pictures. Claudia hopes to inspire everyone to get outside and play with friends. Her illustrations encourage kids to watch the changes in the trees and plants, the animals which migrate through, and the process of change which occurs in everyone's life, as they look through the images.
K**N
A Joy of a Book for All Ages
There are many crafters, myself included, who enjoy needle-felting as a hobby. Ms. Lenart is one of the few who has elevated this medium to an art. Her felt paintings are full of movement and color, with a deliciously soft, tactile quality that will particularly appeal to young children. Trees, animals, and children are captured with effortless skill and charm in scenes full of enticing details for children to explore and imagine themselves into. Whether it's making wintry snow angels, jumping into piles of crunchy autumn leaves, or playing hide and seek on long summer evenings, the world of outdoor play is one all children should experience. Here is a book that beautifully captures the magic and wonder of that world in images so soft you want to reach out and touch them. Although perfect for children, this is a work of art to delight all ages.
N**N
A treat for everyone in the family.
This book is delightful in all ways. From encouraging children to play in nature all year round, to it's stunning needle-felted artwork, Seasons of Joy is the perfect gift for the young child. I've always loved Claudia's work, and have been a shopper at her Etsy store several times, but her books are such a treat and only get better with time. The illustrations are so lovely, I could look at them for hours. This is a perfect gift for every child I know.
Trustpilot
2 months ago
5 days ago
