Observing the year through its smallest increments allows readers to slow down and appreciate nature in a mindful, rewarding way. It’s not a new way, either: Microseasons: A Slow-Living Guide to the Year Following the Traditional Japanese Calendar is based on the traditional 72 Japanese microseasons, which each last five or six days. The Japanese climate is similar enough to the U.S. that American readers should be able to adapt the ideas to their own rhythms, or find even more reason to travel to Japan—during the wintry shosetsu, for example, which author Tiffany Francis-Baker explains is when wild mandarin tachibana citrus trees begin to turn yellow. Each microseason has its own chapter and delicate, colorful illustrations by Tamae Mizukami, and some also include easy rituals that help honor the passing time. A microseason called kanro, or cold dew, is marked by crickets chirping by the door. That chapter opens by explaining the phenomenon: Male crickets chirp for a number of reasons, and they make their distinctive noise through a process called “stridulation, which involves rubbing two of their wings together as a ‘scrape’ and ‘file.’ ” The chapter examines how communication is a skill and encourages readers to nurture their own abilities to communicate authentically. A series of prompts follow that outline ways to help conversation flow, including inviting friends over for tea or a walk. This sweet book will delight nature enthusiasts and likely prompt even homebodies to get out and explore their backyards.
