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When Will It Be Spring?
Catherine Walters
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The creator of The Dog Who Found Christmas introduces the not-so-sleepy bear cub, Alfie, who searches for signs of spring in his winter woodland home, but when spring in all its glory does finally arrive, someone is caught napping!

SLJ Reviews 1998 April (SL8D)

Alfie's mother is trying to settle him down for his winter's sleep. She tells her little bear that when he wakes up, it will be spring. He asks, "And how will I know when it's here?" Mother Bear's answer is, "When the butterflies float by looking for new flowers." The cub wakes up early, mistakes snowflakes for butterflies, and wakes up his mother to show her.

She explains that it is still winter, and then tells him of another sign of spring. Alfie continues to misread the wintry scenes until the anticipated season finally arrives. The story is charmingly told and Alfie exhibits all of the enthusiasm of an overly eager young child. Walters's soft, appealing illustrations range from large landscapes to small vignettes of a restless Alfie trying to settle down to sleep.

The cleanly designed double-page spreads in season-appropriate colors will catch the eyes of young listeners during storyhour. The pictures effectively show how the cub can make these mistakes, which adds to the fun. Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library Copyright 1998 School Library Journal Reviews