Children’s Book Review: Winter’s Coming
Winter’s Coming: A Story of Seasonal Change
Written by Jan Thornhill
Illustrated by Josee Bisaillo
Lily, a young snowshoe hare, is surprised when she hears from a migrating grackle that Winter is coming. What kind of animal is Winter, she wonders? What are the other animals doing to prepare for its arrival
Jan Thornhill’s previous book, Is This Panama?, examined animals who migrate. This book looks at animals who cope with winter in other ways. The creatures Lily meets each have their solution — hiding in the mud of the pond (snapping turtle), storing food (squirrels), or looking for a safe place to curl up and freeze (woolly bear caterpillar). They tell her that she can’t do what they do; hares are different. As she wanders through the forest, Lily finally meets a bear who explains that Winter is not an animal, it is a season and she has already prepared for it. In the weeks she has been asking questions, her coat has slowly turned white and she is ready to frolic in the snow.
Thornhill also includes two pages of “animal and environmental facts” at the end of the book with extra information on how animals prepare for winter.
Josee Bisaillon uses traditional materials and digital collage in textured illustrations. Sharp-eyed young readers will enjoy seeing Lily’s coat slowly change from brown to white over the course of the book.
Mixing a fictional tale with impeccable science and beautiful art, Thornhill and Bisaillon have created an information-filled tale delivered in a delightful package.
Gillian O’Reilly is Editor of Canadian Children’s Book News.
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