Ecclesiastes

July 15, 2018
Newbery Medalist Rylant continues her series of simplified Bible verse interpretations with this illustrated version of the familiar "to everything there is a season" text, adapted from the King James version of the book of Ecclesiastes. Rylant's illustrations are bold and minimalist, with an understated simplicity and a naïve, folk-art sensibility. The striking cover shows a cozy, white house against a lavender background, with a huge sunflower sprouting up almost to the roofline. The acrylic paintings use broad brushstrokes for grass and skies, with a green-budding tree symbolizing "a time to be born" and falling autumn leaves for "a time to die." A fair-skinned child is shown working in a raised garden bed for "a time to plant" and then delivering flowers to an older white woman with gray hair on the following spread. The illustration for "a time to weep" shows a dark-skinned mother and daughter waving farewell to a departing father; "a time to laugh" depicts the joyous reunion of father and child. That pair of illustrations conveys its own little story that even very young children will immediately recognize. War is conveyed by two bucks battling with locked antlers, and peace is a cow grazing contentedly. Each pair of illustrations is thoughtfully designed and composed, with just enough visual information to convey each concept.A lovely, quiet interpretation of some of the most famous verses from the Old Testament, one that will last through many seasons. (Picture book/religion. 2-7)

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Starred review from August 1, 2018
Preschool-G *Starred Review* In this, Rylant's third companion book based on the Bible (Creation?, 2016; Nativity, 2017), selected well-known verses from chapter three of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes focus on the appropriate time for all actions. For A time to break down, and a time to build up, a spider's web has broken and is then rewoven. A time to be born, and a time to die shows a little bird and a tree in springtime (light green leaves) and then in fall (bird flying off and orange leaves falling against a pinky-peach sky). War and peace display two elk clashing antlers, and then a cow peacefully grazing. The naive yet gorgeous illustrations in luscious overlays of acrylic paint depict each verse in full-page spreads with a broad color palette. Spare details provide interest and a closer look: a child planting a garden, a little girl jumping into her father's arms, a squirrel hiding an acorn, two ducks swimming in a gray-green pond. The simple verses and childlike pictures inspire discussion and encourage readers to take joy in the beauty of our world. The gentle message supports the calm inevitability of all things: And the earth abides forever. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)