Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night: A Winter and Holiday Book for Kids

PreS-Gr 2—Lights from many sources brighten the countryside, the streets of a busy town, and bedrooms in this poetic homage to snowy nighttime. Brief descriptive lines of verse focus on scene setting, barely hinting at the presence of animals and humans. Full-color scenes across spreads add participants to the evolving views. Night begins quietly. A man and child, dressed for cold winter, stand outside a house and are invited into the snowy landscape. Scenes shift, sometimes abruptly, as children skate on an icy pond and a child runs off downhill. Then, the quiet woods are suddenly replaced by a busy town. While winter holidays are not mentioned, a tall, decorated tree stands in the crowded street, house fronts include stars in varied forms, and an outdoor screen shows a large sketch of a menorah. Flat digital figures of animals and round-eyed children resemble paper collage. Featured humans have dark complexions, and occupants of town streets and bedrooms are diverse. A few depictions strike odd notes—for example, one skater, holding a cardboard beverage container aloft, has a crude and garish face as she observes the decorated town, and woodland animals, side by side, are oddly arched in size. The well-shaped complementary scheme of pictures and verse invites readers to linger over the broad views, and the repeated title refrain will be a memorable reminder for personal enjoyment of winter nights. VERDICT A pleasant seasonal choice for bedtime and read aloud sharing, likely most meaningful for children living where heavy snow does appear in early winter.—Margaret Bush

"Casting her verses in the cadences of a familiar nursery rhyme. . . . Suitable for bedtime reading in any season, rich in both visual and sonic resonances." — Kirkus Reviews

"[A] poetic homage to snowy nighttime. A pleasant seasonal choice for bedtime and read aloud sharing." — School Library Journal