In the Bleak Midwinter Anthem

Kimura's sweet, simple tale explores the lasting consequences of a kind deed. The story begins on Christmas Eve, when Rabbit is very hungry and must venture out into the bitter cold. In the snow, Rabbit finds two big carrots, one of which she eats. Thinking of Donkey, also nearly starving, she hops to his house and leaves the second carrot. He too has been lucky, coming upon a bag of potatoes in the snow, so Donkey trots off to leave the carrot for Sheep. And so it goes. Eventually the carrot gets back to Rabbit and she welcomes it, ""a Christmas present from a friend.'' Matsumura's softly shaded pictures exude the atmosphere of the snowy night and the blowing winds and the charitable nature of her gentle animals. (58)