Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS--These titles achieve a gentle nirvana with their soft illustrations, rockabye rhymes, and an animal kingdom ruled by profound affection between critter families. The Greatest Gift features beautiful zebra family exploring the world together. The parent waxes poetic about the many ways they would give their baby the world, from the stars above to the wind in the trees. The narrative broadens, detailing the hopes and dreams every parent has for their kids, outlining the great gift of love. In Winter is Wonderful, the cozy characters are a fox family enjoying the bliss of the season. They get to revel in the beauty of snow and cold while cuddling close and safe in each other's furry embrace. All the books connect to showcase serene familial bonds. VERDICT Warm animal illustrations highlight lyrical text full of love and appreciation for our world and each other.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
For one forest-dwelling fox family, winter is bliss. "Winter is special / in every way-- / a time for family, / sharing, and play." The bounce of that opener is typical of the verse that appears throughout this ode to winter, centered on a fox parent and two kits. There's no story to speak of; rhymes carry readers through a day enjoyed by the foxes, during which they think fondly of their loved ones, cuddle and cavort in the snow, enjoy a "holiday feast" (purple berries from a bush), and behold the night sky ("We snuggle together / under the stars, / and we are reminded / how lucky we are"). The book reads like something between a poem and a prayer and makes a hard sell for winter's splendor. Winter is described as "the best time of year," and Dodd emphasizes that readers will "remember / each winter forever." Though the text borders on bland, that's of no import. The book's calling card is Dodd's chunky but sumptuous digital art: The adorable, ever-smiling fox family's gleaming orange fur is radiant against the wintry forest tableaux. The book's showstopper is a final image of the trio curled up in their den on a leaf bed, the round door leading outside a portal to the stars. A charming winter wonderland.(Picture book. 2-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
