Sasha and the Wind

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian in Pickering, Ontario.

Sasha loves the wind when it teases the leaves from the trees and puffs
snowflakes slowly around in the air. His friends agree that the wind can
be great fun, but point out that it can also be scary at times. Sasha
boasts that he is never afraid of the wind, but when a storm blows up
that day Sasha must confront his fear of this now fierce and biting
wind. He seeks comfort first from his friends and ultimately from his
mother and a nice warm cup of chocolate with marshmallows. Both Sasha
and the storm calm down; the world becomes a friendly place again.

The author does a credible job of describing how a child experiences
fear. Children will find Hélиne Desputeaux’s vivid illustrations
irresistible, despite their rather narrow range. Recommended.