Betsy Bowen captures the vibrant magic in each northwoods day with effortless prose and colorful woodcuts. While the canoe waits beneath the heavy snow and the river freezes over, bears turn in for long winter naps and people spend time reading by the fire or bundled up in layers. But when spring comes, it's time for kayaking, fishing, and listening to the quiet pond sounds of the new season. Bowen's version of the ABCs that is warm and unusual and introduces children to the cyclical rhythms of life in our country's northern states. A great companion to Gathering: A Northwoods Counting Book .