“Du Iz Tak?” says one lacewing fly to another as both look at a tiny shoot emerging from the soil. “Ma nazoot,” replies her friend. Other delightfully detailed beetles and bugs gather, observe the growth of the “plonk” and begin building a “furt” complete with cubby, sun deck and pirate flag amongst the leaves. Great is their terror, “Booby voobeck!” when a many-eyed spider envelops their creation in its web. Saved by one of the feathered kind, their joy knows no bounds and a flower blooms to a chorus of “Gladdenboots”.
Surrounding this little tragicomedy of growth and decay are a supporting cast of fauna and flora. A toadstool grows and is harvested and a snail nibbles his share of a leaf. A tufted caterpillar finds a likely twig and farewells the world as it transforms into a cocoon. An impressive bug called Icky emerges to watch the fun and returns with his wife Ooky to winter in a comfy log. A reckless cricket plays his fiddle as autumn approaches, the last leaf departs and snow the blankets the earth. But if winter comes, can spring be far behind?
Besides the sense of achievement young children will have in decoding the dialogue, and the fun of picking up on the exquisite detail in the illustrations, they may – or may not – notice the message.
