Spring Moon

Continuing the four-part series that began with AUTUMN MOON and WINTER MOON, Newbery Medalist Jean Craighead George writes vivid accounts of North American wildlife as their lives revolve around the seasonal changes of the moon. Originally published in the 1960s, and later reprinted with a new design and illustrations in the early 90's, the THIRTEEN MOONS were not widely read, perhaps because they were in hardcover. Now, with the early 90's versions compressed into paperback books, maybe the books will draw more attention, from school groups learning about nature to the most avid reader. The series title has changed from THIRTEEN MOONS to SEASONS OF THE MOON, and each book contains three stories, with colorful illustrations for reference. SPRING MOON features a spotted salamander who, under the moon of March, is making his way from under rock crevices across the damp forest floor to a pond where he will perform an ancestral mating dance. This gives readers a unique look into a world rarely described; the hidden life of an amphibian that has been around for 330 million years. Next, comes a cheery story quite the opposite of the salamander's dark drama. In Montana, a mother chickaree--a small red squirrel--is busy raising a brood of helpless youngsters while trying to defend her property from some hungry intruders--a magpie, a pack rat, a woodpecker. The chickaree's screaming indignance is amusing, and it's fascinating to learn about the area of the mountainous Bitterroot River where she makes her home. The last story is filled with tranquility and beauty as we learn about a monarch butterfly who is making the thousand-mile migration from her wintering area in Mexico all the way to Canada. It's easy to imagine the graceful, fluttering movements of the butterfly as she crosses rivers, towns, and fields, performing her ultimate task, to lay eggs and pass on the legacy of the monarch. I highly recommend this stunning book to anyone who enjoys studying the mammals, insects, and amphibians of America, and also to read the other books in the SEASONS OF THE MOON series. Also, check out Chris Kubie's instrumental CD MUSIC OF THE THIRTEEN MOONS, which wonderfully captures the grace of Ms. George's words and the feeling of the animal life she describes.