April's Window

By: Georgina Le Flufy
Illustrated by: Francisco Fonseca
Publisher: Ethicool Books
Publication Date: September 2020
ISBN: 978-0648872313
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: January 5, 2021

A quaint little village, full of vibrant colors, and a child's curiosity are the backdrops for the charming new children's book, April's Window.

April is a little girl who is watching the world go by from her window. While we only see April from the back, in the eye-catching cover illustration, we get to follow along with her within the pages of the story as she investigates each village window.

Open the book to the first page and we see the entire village from April's window - what April sees every day. And with a child's imagination and curiosity, she explores all those windows. What might each window share with the world?

As we stroll around the village with April, we see so many beautiful windows, every one with a unique story to tell:

Windows where people are watering plants,
Windows where people are learning to dance.
Learning to sew,
Learning to cook,
Falling in love with the words of a book.

Each of those windows has a lovely illustration of said window. We see a woman watering shelves of brightly marked flowers with a cute little watering can. Flowers are exploding off the page, with flowers behind the woman, on the windowsill, in front of the window and even off to each side. Another window shows a grandmother teaching her grandson how to sew - the love they share flows from the page.

Tall windows,
Dark windows,
Windows with hearts.
Windows with rainbows and kids making art.

While it's not stated in the story itself, but rather in the book's description on the publisher's website, April is at home because of the pandemic. While children today are having to deal with the stresses brought about by the pandemic, the author has made the decision (a good one, I believe) not to make that an issue in the story. Rather, April is like all other children around the world right now - not able to go into friends' homes. The author, through April, encourages children reading the story to imagine what might be behind the windows on their own street, or hometown. The story is simple, with a very positive message, and conveys that warmth and happiness to the reader. The illustrations are by the very talented Francisco Fonseca, who shares his unique talents, with vibrant, playful images that bring the story to life. The last few pages of the story is a tribute to all the nurses, police, and other first responders who have kept us all safe during these difficult times.

Quill says: April's Window is a wonderful story that brings a small village to life through the eyes of a child. Perfect for children 6 and under, this will undoubtedly become one of your child's favorite bedtime stories.

For more information on April's Window, please visit Ethicool Books.

Author Interview