The Gerda Muller Seasons Gift Collection: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
The Seasons Collection By Gerda Muller Series
on Goodreads (19)
What’s inside...
This collection of four books by Gerda Muller celebrates the seasons of the year with charming illustrations and stories without text, encouraging children to observe and create their own narratives about the changing natural world around them. The set includes four mini board books, each depicting a different season with beautifully illustrated scenes. In spring, children engage with nature by playing with lambs and sowing seeds; summer features activities like fishing for tadpoles and eating ice-cream; autumn brings leaf collection, kite flying, and jam making; and winter is filled with ice-skating, bird feeding, and enjoying the coziness of a Christmas tree indoors. This delightful collection not only sparks the imagination but also fosters a love for the natural world, making it an ideal gift for young children.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
1-3
Length
48 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do the changes in the seasons make you feel?
Can you describe something you enjoy doing in each season shown in the books?
What similarities and differences do you see between our environment and the illustrations in the books?
Which season would you love to explore more and why?
How do you think the animals and plants adapt to each season?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about each season by relating personal experiences to those depicted in the book.
Discuss the activities and natural changes shown in the illustrations, encouraging your child to draw parallels to the world outside their window.
Use the books as a yearly reference to observe and discuss seasonal changes in your local environment, enhancing their observational skills.
Create a seasonal craft or activity inspired by the imagery in the books, fostering a deeper connection to the material through hands-on learning.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Appreciation of nature
Explanation: Gerda Muller's illustrations vividly depict the beauty and distinct characteristics of each season, encouraging children to notice and appreciate the natural world around them.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to engage in outdoor activities such as gardening in spring, beach visits during summer, collecting leaves in autumn, and building snowmen in winter, to connect with and appreciate their environment.
Example Lesson: Understanding of seasonal changes
Explanation: The book uses clear, engaging visuals to represent the changes that occur in the environment as seasons transition from one to another.
Real-World Application: This can help children understand the concept of time and change, observing how different weather and plants are related to specific times of the year in their own surroundings.
Example Lesson: Creativity and imagination
Explanation: Through Muller's evocative illustrations, children are invited to use their imagination to fill in the stories of what's happening in each seasonal setting.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to create their own stories or artwork inspired by the scenes in the book, fostering a love for storytelling and artistic expression.
Example Lesson: Observation skills
Explanation: Each illustration is detailed and invites close inspection, helping children develop keen observation skills as they explore each page.
Real-World Application: Kids can practice these skills in real life by observing changes in their local park or backyard across different seasons, enhancing their attention to detail and cognitive abilities.
Example Lesson: Seasonal activities and traditions
Explanation: The book introduces various activities and traditions associated with each season, providing educational content in a cultural context.
Real-World Application: Children can participate in or initiate similar activities and traditions at home or school, such as carving pumpkins in autumn or enjoying ice-cream in summer, enriching their cultural and social understanding.