THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WINTER

One little woodland creature fights for his right to party.

If there’s one thing children can identify with, it’s animals uninterested in going to bed. It’s winter, and Badger is full of plans. Unfortunately, it’s hard to put those ideas into practice when everyone else is tucked into bed. After visiting Bear, Marmot, and Nighthawk, Badger attempts to amuse himself, but “clearly being alone isn’t his thing.” It isn’t until the bats tell him to “go and play with the birds” that he realizes that he’s not the only one up this winter. The birds, foxes, rabbits, and more are happy to party and have a wonderful time. And when Badger’s other friends do emerge in the spring, little wonder that it’s Badger’s turn to fall asleep. Backmatter distinguishes between torpor and hibernation, and an additional factual section offers guidance on helping animals during the winter. Meanwhile, front endpapers feature illustrations of “animals that sleep a lot in winter,” while the back endpapers list animals that don’t. The soft ink, gouache, and watercolor renderings of Badger and friends give the story a gentle, identifiable hero for whom bedtime is in no way a necessity. Translated from French, this tale will pair well alongside nonfiction picture books on similar subjects, such as Summertime Sleepers by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah Brannen.

In a sea of hibernation titles, this one’s worth staying awake for.