Bright Winter Night

The northern lights attract a group of animalian sledders in this enchanted tale; “The forest calls, and creatures come:/ big and small, one by one./ They sense there is a task to do/ as night descends, replacing blue.” Falcon, Wren, and Beaver arrive first, each bringing supplies through the snow, which Stag, several rabbits, and Bear help to transform into a sled. With Mouse at the reins of a pack of wolves, the motley crew (“no one hunter, no one prey”) weaves among snowbanks and tree trunks until “bump, bump, bump!” they crash. A speedy recovery sees them soon on their way to a clearing, where the sky lights up with the aurora borealis—a spectacle that draws them together with its “dazzle, glow, and blaze.” Awash in shades of purple, blue, and pink, Lindsay’s watercolor and digital artwork project the magic evoked by Brydon’s smooth rhymes, illuminating a magnetic portrait of woodland camaraderie. Ages 3–7. (Dec.)