Emma's Magic Winter

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is also the
author of The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Women’s Lives, Kurlek, and
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Hom

The magic of friendship is celebrated in this story about overcoming
shyness and isolation. Charming illustrations feature two little girls
discovering each other and a world that becomes steadily less scary as
their friendship grows.

Emma is afraid to read aloud in class. Her friendship with Sally, a new
neighbor, starts with Emma delivering her mother’s pie (“You can’t
be shy with a pie”) and proceeds to the two little girls deciding that
their boots are magic. By then, they are “magic” friends. The magic
boots enable Emma to read clearly and boldly in class. Springtime brings
magic skipping ropes and two children who are no longer shy.

Jean Little has written more than 25 books for children. Structured as
a comedy and filled with joy, Emma’s Magic Winter is a delightful tale
of growth, maturation, and discovery. Highly recommended.