Starred review from October 3, 2011
Straddling the informative and the evocative, this lovely study of the ways animals spend the winter in a “secret kingdom under the snow” combines Messner’s (Sea Monster’s First Day) graceful prose (“Over the snow, the fire crackles, and sparks shoot up to the stars. I lick sticky marshmallow from my lips and lean back with heavy eyes”) with debut illustrator Neal’s quiet, woodcut-like portraits of the snowy forest. A human father and daughter are tiny figures in a field of white, cross-country skiing past fir trees and glimpsing the occasional animal, while other creatures are visible in cutaway views below ground (“Under the snow, a queen bumblebee drowses away December, all alone. She’ll rule a new colony in spring”). The rhythm of the girl’s discoveries balances thoughtful discovery with moments of muted excitement, as when she skis downhill, then watches a fox pounce on a mouse (“His paws scratch away to find the mouse he heard scritch-scritch-scratching along underneath”). Unvarnished pages and an elegant layout enhance the sense of magic in a natural world just out of view. Includes an afterword and bibliography. Ages 4–8.
January 1, 2015
PreS-Gr 4-Messner's charming tale tells the story of what goes on under the snow while a young girl is cross-country skiing. A variety of animals, including voles, bees, red foxes, and bears, are noted on her trek. Laura Knight Keating voices the story, embracing the child's delight at the secret kingdom beneath the snow. With a lovely tone, Keating gives choice words emphasis and reads phrases like "clouds whisper down feathery-soft flakes" with breathy wonder. Alliteration is used heavily in the prose, and the repeated "s" sound is sibilant and a bit grating, which slightly mars the reading. The author's note that follows is loaded with information about the subnivean zone-tunnels beneath the snow-and details about the animals mentioned. The disc includes a version with page-turn signals. This seasonal story has strong educational value for the very young.-C.A. Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO
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