Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The northern lights attract a group of animalian sledders in this enchanted tale; "The forest calls, and creatures come:/ big and small, one by one./ They sense there is a task to do/ as night descends, replacing blue." Falcon, Wren, and Beaver arrive first, each bringing supplies through the snow, which Stag, several rabbits, and Bear help to transform into a sled. With Mouse at the reins of a pack of wolves, the motley crew ("no one hunter, no one prey") weaves among snowbanks and tree trunks until "bump, bump, bump!" they crash. A speedy recovery sees them soon on their way to a clearing, where the sky lights up with the aurora borealis--a spectacle that draws them together with its "dazzle, glow, and blaze." Awash in shades of purple, blue, and pink, Lindsay's watercolor and digital artwork project the magic evoked by Brydon's smooth rhymes, illuminating a magnetic portrait of woodland camaraderie. Ages 3--7. (Dec.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--Rhyming couplets tell the tale of a diverse assemblage of forest animals sharing a magical winter night. Working as a team, a stag, bear, beaver, squirrel, mouse, rabbits, birds, and wolves all cooperate in constructing a sled: "Together they have built this sleigh, no one hunter, no one prey." They put together the comfortable, iconic winter vehicle in order to travel to a forest clearing where they can participate in another group activity--reveling in the dazzling show of the northern lights. Watercolor, both paint and pencil, along with digital media, create a mainly blue and white color scheme with touches of brown, pink, and gray. The animal's names are all in capital letters, and the placement of the poetic text varies from page to page throughout. Rounded, cartoon-style creatures have eyes reminiscent of Jon Klassen's Bear and cooperate harmoniously as a Peaceable Kingdom--type of community. VERDICT This winter tale would work well for dusky afternoon story hours in December or a bedtime story; the muted illustrations and the text, which has a perfect scan and beat, begin energetically but slow to soothing, steady levels as the animals settle down to sleep.--Maryann H. Owen
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A disparate group of animals constructs a large sleigh so they can travel together to watch the northern lights. "There's magic in the winter air, / as all the creatures are aware. / A sway and creak as pines bow low, / and then begins the song of snow." On this initial double-page spread and throughout, simple but eloquent rhymes are complemented by stylized, appealing animal characters that move within a soothing world of pinks, purples, and blues, dotted with flecks of snow and points of light. As the creatures gather, they sense they need to do something. The text describes the animals' actions; readers will slowly be able to figure out what the creatures are making. Beginning with a falcon and ending with a mouse, a total of eight kinds of animals are introduced, each with their own contribution; the drollest one comes from Bear, whose body provides cushioning for other riders. Wolves pull the sleigh, and the text emphasizes that none of the animals are in danger ("no one hunter, no one prey") during this expedition. Before the animals arrive to view the northern lights, there is a gently humorous mishap as the sleigh capsizes, and Stag and Beaver valiantly get it back on track. Text and art gracefully advance two themes--cooperation toward a goal and appreciation of nature's magic--while also lulling restless readers toward naptime or bedtime. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Destined to be a favorite bedtime read-aloud. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
