Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn is the debut picture book of author/illustrator Kenard Pak. The book’s premise is summarized in its title: a girl observes the subtle changes in her surroundings as the season changes from summer into autumn. The girl greets natural elements such as plants, animals, and weather, and each returns her greeting with a description of how they are preparing for autumn. The result is lovely, lyrical prose beautifully framed with repetition and rhythm. (Example: “Hello, breezy wind.” “Hello! I love to whoosh drizzle and leaves through the misty streets.”)

Stunning artwork first draws the reader’s attention and makes re-readings a pure delight. The changing color palette as the book progresses further captures the essence of summer turning into autumn.

I have come across several books for children that focus on a particular season, or even the cycle of all the seasons, but not as many that survey the changing of one season into another. With the inclusion of trees and flowers, mammals, birds, insects, and weather, this book borders on creative non-fiction (though I’d still put it in the fiction section).

I recommend this book for ages 4-8, and it can be a great book to use at the start of the school year with its seasonal theme. Pak created a second book in the series, Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter, which is beautifully done as well. I hope Mr. Pak will finish out the cycle with the remaining seasonal transitions.