The Most Beautiful Winter

by Cristina Sitja Rubio, Vineet Lal (Translator)

Overview

"In a sea of hibernation titles, this one’s worth staying awake for." — Kirkus Reviews

A cozy tale about a restless sleeper, his hibernating friends, and how he creates his best winter yet.

When snow begins to blanket the trees, naptime is here for the animals of the forest—everyone, it seems, except for Badger! He doesn’t feel like sleeping, and he’s got some big plans for the cold months ahead. But Mr. Bear has posted a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign. Marmot won’t answer the door. Even the nighthawk is sound asleep. Badger draws, knits, and reads for hours, but he doesn’t want to spend all this time alone. Can he find anyone to join his winter fun? 

Featuring a delightful, crayon-illustrated cast of animals, The Most Beautiful Winter encourages children to make the most of the coldest time of year. An excellent pick for hibernation lessons, snuggly bedtimes, and winter parties, this amusing story will charm readers all season long.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802856272
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/15/2024
Pages:	52
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Cristina Sitja Rubio is a multilingual illustrator and author who has created over fifteen picture books. Her work has been exhibited in South Korea, Mexico, Venezuela, and Germany, and her books have been published in over ten countries. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Cristina currently splits her time between Barcelona, Spain, and Berlin, Germany. The Most Beautiful Winter is her English-language debut. Visit Cristina’s website at memoriadistante.net.


 
Vineet Lal is a translator of books from French to English, including A Perfect Spot, The Brothers Zzli, and A Head Full of Birds (all Eerdmans). He studied French at Princeton University and the University of Edinburgh. Vineet lives in Scotland. Follow him on Twitter @vineet_uk.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
"The soft ink, gouache, and watercolor renderings of Badger and friends give the story a gentle, identifiable hero for whom bedtime is in no way a necessity. . . . In a sea of hibernation titles, this one’s worth staying awake for."

From the Publisher

2024-08-03
One little woodland creature fights for his right to party.

If there’s one thing children can identify with, it’s animals uninterested in going to bed. It’s winter, and Badger is full of plans. Unfortunately, it’s hard to put those ideas into practice when everyone else is tucked into bed. After visiting Bear, Marmot, and Nighthawk, Badger attempts to amuse himself, but “clearly being alone isn’t his thing.” It isn’t until the bats tell him to “go and play with the birds” that he realizes that he’s not the only one up this winter. The birds, foxes, rabbits, and more are happy to party and have a wonderful time. And when Badger’s other friends do emerge in the spring, little wonder that it’s Badger’s turn to fall asleep. Backmatter distinguishes between torpor and hibernation, and an additional factual section offers guidance on helping animals during the winter. Meanwhile, front endpapers feature illustrations of “animals that sleep a lot in winter,” while the back endpapers list animals that don’t. The soft ink, gouache, and watercolor renderings of Badger and friends give the story a gentle, identifiable hero for whom bedtime is in no way a necessity. Translated from French, this tale will pair well alongside nonfiction picture books on similar subjects, such asSummertime Sleepers by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah Brannen.

In a sea of hibernation titles, this one’s worth staying awake for.(Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews