In the Winter Woods

Winter sets the stage for community participation in Kulot’s cooperation-focused fable. Amid seasonal food scarcity, a series of animals—a fox, mouse, and crow—all grapple with empty bellies as a refrain reads: “It’s winter, and winter is not willing to share.” Although Squirrel finds himself similarly famished (“Holy hazelnuts, he is so hungry!”), he has no plans to distribute his stockpile, despite the others’ entreaties. When he finds the tree trunk where he stashed the goods empty, he realizes that the task of tracking down the missing bounty will require the help of some neighbors—a shift in strategy that plays out to the benefit of all. Digital renderings lean into the verticality of forest scenery, emphasizing the barrenness of the season as bare trees’ craggy branches fill almost every page. With wide eyes and expressive eyebrows, the animal protagonists are at once realistic and humanlike, amplifying the story’s takeaway about the value of working together. Ages 3–7. (Oct.)