Apples and Butterflies

A young girl narrator describes a family getaway to Prince Edward Island in this charmingly illustratedpicture book with poetic touches. Following a refrain of “I want to,” she relates scenarios such as “I wantto rest inside a sunrise dream / an endless stretch of sea and sand and foam.” Here, we see her joyfullygreeting a swirly pastel sky. The lyrical text, with only a few lines per page, is simply constructed, thoughit’s occasionally esoteric for kids—for instance, “I just want to breathe / breathe air that tastes like apples: /red / ripe.” Nonetheless, the intricate, vibrant artwork incorporates playful and evocative elements, and thewarm portrayal of a family appreciating nature’s wonders and sharing in familiar activities like walkingthe beach or picking apples may inspire readers to dream or reminisce about their own vacations with, asthe girl says, “no alarm clocks / and no chores . . . only time / lots and lots of time.”