Author Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrator Julie Maren join forces in this lovely picture book about the journey of an orange, from blossom on a tree, in a "land that glowed with spring light," to luscious fruit being harvested and transported far from its origin place. Selected at a grocery store by a young boy one January, the orange is shared by a group of friends, who enjoy its sweet taste while playing in the snow...

I greatly enjoyed An Orange in January, both for the thoughtful, engaging narrative and for the lush, gorgeous artwork. I have read a number of Aston's other picture books—notably, her An Egg Is Quiet and its many wonderful companions—but this is the first time I have encountered Maren's artwork. Sadly, it would appear that this is one of only two books she has illustrated. In any case, I think this would be an excellent title to use with younger children, in order to explore the theme of food, from source to table, particularly in an the context of food which must travel long distances to reach its destination. For my own part, I hope to track down more titles from Aston, as well as the other picture book from Maren. ( )

With vivid, glowing paintings, this picture book offers a poetic lesson about a plant's growth cycle and about the produce industry. We follow an orange from blossom to ripe fruit, from tree to truck to market . . . and into the hands of a boy who shares this treat with his friends on the playground, —so that everyone could taste the sweetness of an orange in January.

It shows how the orange grew in orange tree farm in Spring. Farmers picked them and trucked to cities in cold winter. One boy got an orange at store and bring it to his friends to share.

Cute storyline

This is book was so adorable, not only was it about a little boy getting an orange but it also showed you how they grow and get into the stores. "In a land that glowed with spring light, an orange blossomed." This was such a great way to start the book because it kid of tells you how a orange is created without fully saying it right away. Another thing I enjoyed at this book was the pictures they showed exactly what was going on in the text. This is good so the kids can not only read it but also see what is going on. I also enjoyed the illustrations because they were blended drawings so their were no harsh lines throughout the book. With the trees they blended into the rest of the background. The message of this book was so show how things grow and get to another location. ( )