A Winter's Tale

Krystyna Higgins is the former book review editor for the Catholic New
Times.

For her upcoming 9th birthday, Abigail wants only one gift: to be
allowed to go on a winter camping expedition with her father and
brother. When the big day comes, her excitement is fueled by the
others’ stories of last year’s trip, and she joyfully declares,
“Today the bush will belong to me, too.” After making camp, they set
out on a long hike “to the valley where the deer [run].” When they
happen upon a terrified fawn trapped on a frozen lake, Abigail
demonstrates both courage and ingenuity in helping to free the animal.

Award-winning illustrator Ian Wallace conveys the spacious beauty of
the northern landscape as experienced by the children and their father.
The double-page (wordless) spread showing the fawn leaping to freedom is
particularly arresting, and helps us to appreciate Abigail’s sense of
wonder.

The text is straightforward, perhaps even a little prosaic in
comparison with the richness of the pictorial component (the
illustrations in this book could stand alone, whereas the text is
somewhat more limited). Nonetheless, A Winter’s Tale has considerable
appeal. Recommended.