SIMON WELCOMES SPRING Gilles Tibo. Montréal, PQ: Tundra Books, 1990. 24pp., cloth, $10.95. ISBN 0-88776-247-6. Also available in French as: Simon fête le printemps. CIP. Subject Heading: Spring-Fiction. Preschool-kindergarten / Ages 3-5 Reviewed by Patricia L.M. Butler. Volume 19 Number 1 1991 January "My name is Simon and I love spring." As with Tibo's previous Simon and the Snowflakes ¹ and Simon and the Wind ², we are introduced in a simple, gentle manner to a little boy searching for the reasons behind nature's workings. In an effort to aid the arrival of spring, Simon ties balloons to the first green shoots in the fields but the rains wash them away. After consulting with an owl, his friend Marlene tries to help Simon hurry spring along by tying bird houses to the trees in hopes of luring the birds northward. Simon learns, despite his efforts and to his delight, that spring comes all by itself. As in Tibo's previous award-winning illustrations, the realistic drawings of most of the animals in the story are heightened by the bright, fanciful backgrounds. A small portion of the larger right-hand-page illustration is used to illuminate the left-hand-page text, neatly drawing the reader's eye to the detail of the drawings and offering a platform for identification by the younger reader. The sturdy binding and stock make it easy for curious young hands to turn the pages while enjoying the book alone. The natural curiosity of Simon is representative of all ages; however, the use of talking animals and the abbreviated text make this story most suitable for the three to five age range. Patricia L.M. Butler, Scarborough, ON. ¹ Reviewed vol. XVII/2 March 1989, p.89. ² Reviewed vol. XVIII/2 March 1990, p.68.