An engaging introduction to a variety of natural phenomena that occur throughout the year. The seven stories for each season cover a range of topics from animal and plant life to geology and physics. Each chapter concludes with a list of activities to pursue and stories to read to excite further interest.

A collection of easy-to-follow activities, organized by seasons of the year, to help family members and caregivers engage with memory-challenged adults. Dementia and related disorders impact the lives of those affected in countless ways, making it difficult to remain independent at work, at home, and in the wider world. But recent studies have shown that structured activities can make a significant, positive difference by stimulating mental engagement while improving interactions between caregivers and memory-challenged adults. Fun and easy to use, this large-format, full-color picture book is divided into themes representing the four seasons. Each section describes several multisensory experiences—such as walking on the beach, making ice cream, or planting flowers—along with related topics for discussion and activities to elicit memories and encourage new positive associations. The topics and activities incorporate all five senses to facilitate connections and conversations. The book adopts a compassionate, person-centered approach and is designed so that two people can easily look together while sitting side by side. This latest edition, which has been thoroughly revised, • takes a multicultural approach • includes all-new images, as well as 14 completely new highlighted activities • integrates modern wellness concepts • features a new introduction and an updated resource section • offers guidance about activity planning and optimizing interactions between care partners and the individual with dementia Helping you and your loved one make cherished new memories, Through the Seasons is an indispensable solution to the question of what to do together to maintain well-being and connection.

The founder of Four Seasons Hotels shares the philosophy and values that have made his legendary brand How did a child of immigrants, starting with no background in the hotel business, create the world's most admired and successful hotel chain? And how has Four Seasons grown dramatically, over nearly a half century, without losing its focus on exceptional quality and unparalleled service? Isadore Sharp answers these questions in his engaging memoir, which doubles as a powerful guide for leaders in any field. He recalls the surprising history of his company, starting with its roots in his father's small construction business, which Sharp joined after getting a degree in architecture. Shifting into hotels wasn't easy, and he learned by trial and error. His breakthrough was a vision for a new kind of hotel, featuring superior design, top-quality amenities, and, above all, a deep commitment to service. Sharp realized that customers would gladly pay extra for a "home away from home" experience. But that would be possible only if everyone-from managers and supervisors to bellmen, servers, and housekeepers-was fully engaged. The front-line staff, who have the most contact with guests, can make or break a five-star reputation. Readers will be fascinated to learn how Four Seasons does it, year after year, in more than thirty countries around the world.

By the author of the bestselling picture book Petunia, The House of Four Seasons is a bright and lively family picture book about colors, imagination, and compromise When Father, Mother, Billy, and Suzy go house hunting in the country, they fall in love with a grand old house nestled among tall weeds and trees. It is in need of repair, and soon a carpenter, mason, and tinsmith come to set things straight, but it needs painting too. The family agrees it would be more fun to paint the house themselves, but no one can agree on the color, and to make matters worse, the hardware store only carries three colors: red, blue, and yellow. But Father has an idea. “You’ll see, he says, “colors can do many tricks when they get together,” and with a sudden flourish, a color wheel appears! Budding artists and engineers will love this surprising story, and adults would do well to note how Father arrives at a winning trifecta of negotiation, education, and thrift.

Get swept up again in this heartfelt family drama from New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe. They are the Season sisters, bound by blood, driven apart by a tragedy. Now they are about to embark on a bittersweet journey into the unknown—an odyssey of promise and forgiveness, of loss and rediscovery. Jillian, Beatrice and Rose have gathered for the funeral of their younger sister, Meredith. Her death, and the legacy she leaves them, will trigger a cross-country journey in search of a stranger with the power to mend their shattered lives. As the emotions of the past reverberate into the present, Jillian, Beatrice and Rose search for the girls they once were, in hopes of finding what they really lost: the women they were meant to be. Originally published in 2001

Listen to special arrangements of Vivaldi's Four Seasons concerti for violin while exploring the changing seasons in this stunning book. Each beautifully illustrated scene shows a different season with fingertrails to explore and a button to press to listen to the music. A delightful way for children to discover Vivaldi's much loved music. WARNING! This product contains button or coin cell batteries which are dangerous. Dispose of used batteries immediately. Keep new and used batteries away from children. Batteries can cause serious injuries if they are swallowed or placed inside any part of the body. If you think batteries may have been swallowed or placed inside any part of the body, seek immediate medical attention. Different types of batteries (i.e. Alkaline and Zinc) or new and used batteries are not to be mixed. Only batteries of the same or equivalent type as recommended are to be used. Batteries are to be inserted with the correct polarity. Exhausted batteries are to be removed from the product. The supply terminals are not to be short-circuited. Do not throw batteries into a fire. Batteries should never be left in the product when not in use for long periods of time. Non rechargeable batteries are not to be recharged. Rechargeable batteries are to be removed from the product before being charged. Rechargeable batteries are only to be charged under adult supervision. This product contains batteries and electronics that may be harmful to the environment; they should not be discarded with normal household waste but taken to your local collection centre for recycling. Please retain this information for future reference.Battery removal and installation instructions: With a screwdriver, loosen the captive screw and remove the lid to the battery compartment keeping it away from children. Insert the new button cell batteries as shown in the polarity diagram (+/-) inside the battery compartment. Lower the lid back onto the compartment and re-tighten the captive screw.

Follows a family through the seasons over the course of on year, from one wintry New Year's Day to the next.

Describes the animals, birds, trees, and flowers that the amateur naturalist is likely to encounter in each season.

Dear Girls and Boys: You are the same children all through the year, but you do not look just the same in winter and in summer. Your January clothes are different from those you wear in July. Perhaps the color of your skin is changed, too. It will be a few shades darker during the season of brightest sunshine if you are outdoors as much as you should be. You may have more freckles in summer, and perhaps your hair will be bleached by the sun to a little different shade. People do not do exactly the same things in spring as they do in the fall. Farmers plant seeds in the ground in the spring. In the fall they harvest food for winter use. Storekeepers show different things in their shop windows in summer and winter. Fashions change in games as well as in work. You like to play some games in summer that would not be nearly so pleasant in winter. People may be happy at any time in the year, and yet there is some difference in the kinds of happiness. The joy you have in looking at the first pussy willow or bluet or violet or other spring flower is not quite the same as that you feel in the jolly fall, when the chattering squirrel gathers his acorns and the trees let their gay leaves go fluttering down. If people do not look and act and feel just the same at different times of the year, what about the rest of the world? Well, a bobolink is the same bird in the fall as he is in the spring, although he does not look and act the same. In the spring he wears a suit of white and black and yellow, but in the fall his feathers show mostly olive and brown colors. He does not act the same, either. In the spring he sings a joyous bubbling song of many lovely, lively notes. In the fall he repeats, over and over again, one call that sounds as if he were answering the rest of the bobolinks, who are all making the same sociable sound. You will understand that there is not room in one book to tell about more than a few of the wonderful things in the world, for a book is small and the world itself is very large. There are indeed more interesting things in the world than have ever been described in all the books that have been printed. So suppose that you read the chapters in this book and think about them in a special way. Think about them as samples of what the world has to show. Then perhaps you will wish to look at the things of the world for yourselves. We wish you happy hours—all through the year. Your friends, Edith M. Patch Harrison E. Howe

Outdoor play experiences have a crucial role in young children’s learning and development and should be a daily part of their lives. Planning and facilitating rich play and learning opportunities outside can, however, be challenging, especially in difficult weather conditions. Outdoor Learning through the Seasons provides detailed guidance on how we can encourage young children to engage with the natural world throughout the year. Using the four seasons as a framework, the book aims to help all adults to feel confident about taking children outside everyday and developing their awareness of the world around them. It suggests a wide range of experiences and looks at the various ways in which children can interact with the environment to further their learning and development. There are ideas to brighten grey winter days as well as summer sunshine, snow, wind and rain. Features include: reference to recent research on the significance of outdoor play in early childhood; guidance on how to encourage effective learning outdoors practical tips to offer high quality provision in layout, design and planting; suggestions for planning outdoor experiences in the seven areas of learning in line with with the revised Early Years Foundation Stage; advice on working with parents and the role of adults; ideas for all seasons, weather conditions and working with the four elements: earth, air, water and fire; useful reference lists of further resources including stories, poems and websites; an appendix of seasonal recipes. Including a full colour photo plate section to illustrate good practice, this practical book is essential reading for all those looking to provide rich and stimulating outdoor play provision for children in early years settings on a daily basis.