WINTER IS WONDERFUL

For one forest-dwelling fox family, winter is bliss.

“Winter is special / in every way— / a time for family, / sharing, and play.” The bounce of that opener is typical of the verse that appears throughout this ode to winter, centered on a fox parent and two kits. There’s no story to speak of; rhymes carry readers through a day enjoyed by the foxes, during which they think fondly of their loved ones, cuddle and cavort in the snow, enjoy a “holiday feast” (purple berries from a bush), and behold the night sky (“We snuggle together / under the stars, / and we are reminded / how lucky we are”). The book reads like something between a poem and a prayer and makes a hard sell for winter’s splendor. Winter is described as “the best time of year,” and Dodd emphasizes that readers will “remember / each winter forever.” Though the text borders on bland, that’s of no import. The book’s calling card is Dodd’s chunky but sumptuous digital art: The adorable, ever-smiling fox family’s gleaming orange fur is radiant against the wintry forest tableaux. The book’s showstopper is a final image of the trio curled up in their den on a leaf bed, the round door leading outside a portal to the stars.

A charming winter wonderland.