The Books

The Story of May

by Mordecai Gerstein

One Potato Review

The month of May, as personified by a guileless little girl, goes exploring through the other months of the calendar where she meets, among others, her estranged father December, who could not stop famously bickering with May’s mother April back when they were a couple: “We had terrible fights; ice storms and sun showers. The other months were in a state of nervous confusion.” It’s an inspired little touch by one of our greatest and (recently) most celebrated creators of picture books. And here is some of his older, most richly imagined work, yet it’s hard to find anywhere. Curious. Because this finally reads like nothing less thrilling than a catalog of Greek gods, minus the torture and mayhem. With March taking shape as a kite, August as a big tan guy sailing among angelfish and dolphins, and November as a little old lady who invites you in from the cold for some hot spicy cider. Only February seems a little unhappy with her assignment.