Here is the Arctic Winter. Madeleine Dunphy. Illustrated by Alan James Robinson. Berkley, CA: Web of Life Children's Books (Distributed in Canada by Publishers Group Canada), 2007. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $12.50 (pbk.), $20.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-0-9777539-0-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-9777539-1-8 (hc.). Preschool-grade 3 / Ages 3-8. Review by Gillian Richardson. *** /4

excerpt:

Here is the owl

who chases the hare

that eats the willow

which is food for the caribou

that flee from the wolves

who howl at the sky

that is dark day and night

where the sun does not rise

in this cold world of white:

Here is the Arctic winter.

This picture book presents the stark Arctic landscape using a cumulative style that will encourage young listeners to interact with the text and eagerly anticipate the next page. The author introduces each feature one by one – mammals, birds, fish, plant life, sky, sea ice and northern lights – as the illustrations progress from the dark, seemingly empty winter environment to one that shows a vibrant ecosystem. The young reader will see the variety of life this isolated habitat sustains, along with the magical color and movement of the Aurora. The pages that illustrate cross-sections are especially interesting as they allow the reader to glimpse the mysterious world above/below the sea ice.

     Back matter offers a list of the wildlife included throughout the book that lives in the Arctic all year long. Brief explanations are given for the special adaptations of several animals to enable them to survive the winter. The Arctic fox is among these, although it is the only animal not depicted elsewhere in the book. This book is part of a series that focuses on various habitats worldwide.

Recommended.

Gillian Richardson, a freelance writer and former teacher-librarian, lives in BC.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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