With the first ice -- a skim so thin, it breaks when touched -- one family's winter begins in earnest. Next comes ice like panes of glass, and then ice too thick to crush with the heels of boots. Then suddenly, ice that is ready for skating! This book takes a literary skate over field ice and streambed, winter lake and icy pasture, on frozen garden, through sleeping orchard, and beyond. The first ice, the second ice, the third ice ... perfect ice...

"Winter is coming, and Poppy and Sam's tiny garden neighbors are getting ready to hibernate. After stocking their pantries for the colder days ahead, Poppy and Sam settle in for a long winter's nap as well. But what is Poppy doing wrong? She can't sleep and nothing seems to work! Determined to hibernate like her friends, Poppy sets out with Sam to ask the other creatures for their deep-sleep secrets. But advice from the bees (snuggling into a honeycomb),...

Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree is too tall, so he trims off the top and gives the top to the upstairs maid for her tree, and she finds it too tall, so she cuts off the top, which the gardener uses for his tree, but it is too tall ...

After a long winter, the mice Whistler and Lila invite a sleepy bear to have breakfast at the lighthouse, but when he falls asleep in the garden for forty-three days, they realize he might not be done hibernating.

Berry and her friends are planning a basket filled with sweet spring crops for Princess Lolli's upcoming journey to see her sister, but when a winter storm covers Sugar Valley, Berry feels it is her fault for planting her crops too early.

"A lion finds a wounded bird in his garden and decides to care for it through the winter. When spring arrives, the bird's flock returns. The bird goes off with its flock. Lion is sad. But autumn brings a wonderful surprise"--

Sophie lives in the city, and her vegetables come from the supermarket. Then she goes to visit her grandparents in the countryside -- and soon discovers how much there is to learn about how things grow! Sophie helps her grandfather through the different seasons, finding out about mulching onions, eating flowers, weeding, bees, making salad, catching beetles, digging, earthing up, picking and composting. When winter comes, Sophie has to go home --...

Describes some of the signs of winter, including changes in light and temperature, plants at rest, bare branches on trees, animals and birds responding to the cold and lack of food, and other differences, and suggests related activities.

Describes some of the signs of autumn, including changes in light and temperature, leaves changing color and falling, the apple harvest, acorns and other seeds, animals preparing for winter, and other differences, and suggests related activities.