First published in 1927 as Årets Saga, this poetic celebration of the seasons from one of Sweden's most beloved picture-books artists is - as anyone familiar with Elsa Beskow's work would know to expect - lovely to look upon, with beautiful artwork. Unfortunately, it is rather uneven, textually speaking, with poems that are sometimes awkward, and often don't read very well. I suspect that this is an issue of translation, as sometimes - especially when the rhyming scheme can be maintained, and the meter works - they are very sweet. If only I could read them in the original Swedish!

With a poem for every month - as well as some introductory pieces on the hours and days - Around the Year has the potential to be such an outstanding book, that I'm rather disappointed not be able to appreciate it more than I do. Still, Elsa Beskow fans will find much here to appreciate, with gorgeous artwork that captures the enchantment of each month of the year. I think my own favorite was the illustration for harvest-rich August (also seen on the cover), with the parade of berry-decorated forest dwellers. All in all, this is a book I would recommend primarily to fans of this author/artist, rather than to general young readers looking for seasonal titles. ( )

I would not use this book in my class room. The poems are originally written in the early 1900's and so the theme are a little outdated and many have a religious undertone that may make some kids uncomfortable. There are a few poems in the book that I really enjoyed and would like to use again. The book itself is very beautiful, and the artwork is great.