Winter Solstice Wish

Poetry meets the planetary as Fox’s free verse describes a beachside celebration of the winter solstice—that moment after which “we pass more and more hours in/ shadow,/ cold,/ night.” Evocative lines trace the first-person speaker’s efforts to “stretch the daylight” until night’s arrival prompts the creation of a giant bonfire for which firewood is gathered “like candles for wishing.” Throughout, imagery of hands is used in describing the passage of time and the connections that sustain community: “the last fingers of sunlight” usher in darkness, and “hands reach for one another.” Shimmery sunset hues add ribbons of light to Paganelli’s inky indigo nightscapes, communicating a sense of celestial connection. Closing images depict people marking the moment, while text describes the mechanisms that create the solstice. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author’s note and more about solstices conclude. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)