Celebrate the Season: Winter

Ethel King-Shaw is professor emerita of curriculum and instruction in
the Department of Teacher Preparation, University of Calgary.

This collection of six winter stories is one in a series of volumes
about the seasons. Children 4 to 8 will enjoy hearing the stories read
or, preferably, “told” as recommended by the authors. The two
central characters in all the stories, Michael and Megan, were
introduced in the first book of fall stories. References to the original
setting are omitted so that the storytellers may provide local
alternatives.

These fanciful tales are filled with vivid imagery. As the dragon eats
the moon, the moon gets smaller and smaller for two weeks and then grows
again. The wind blows the seasons in and out so that each season spends
nine months away and three months in town. For the longest night of the
year, known as the “feast for solstice,” a tree may be decorated
outside with food for the birds and animals. Each year, Iceman comes to
prepare ice for skating and perhaps to draw pictures on windows.
Searching for diamond ice leads to the exploration of White Wolf’s
cave. Another dramatic story tells of the night that Winter, Windman,
Iceman, and White Wolf were successful in forcing Glacier to retreat.
Spring begins to appear as a snowman is being built. A party is planned
with all kinds of snow food.

Participants are encouraged to be active in a variety of ways: songs
are included, events may be dramatized, observations enriched,
science-related experiments conducted—but perhaps the greatest
stimulation is to the imagination. A truly delightful book that can be
enjoyed in many different ways. Highly recommended.