New Cozy Winter Reads
The Night Before the Nutcracker (American Ballet Theatre) By John Robert Allman; illustrated by Julianna Swaney
Get a front-row seat and experience the excitement of opening night as young dancers prepare for a performance of The Nutcracker. This festive holiday picture book, created in partnership with American Ballet Theatre, is a perfect gift for young readers and dance fans.
’Twas the night before The Nutcracker and, sleepless in their beds,
these budding ballet dancers are rehearsing in their heads.
Children who dream of dancing in The Nutcracker will love this magical illustrated holiday story, told in the tradition of "The Night Before Christmas." Four young girls and boys experience the thrills of auditions, rehearsals, costume fittings, and finally the big event: opening night! It's a behind-the-scenes peek that will delight young dancers.
An afterword with original costume illustrations by Tony Award winner Richard Hudson makes this keepsake picture book both aspirational and informative.
The Lights That Dance in the Night By Written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer
In the next picture book from the creator of the holiday hit The Tree That's Meant to Be, the northern lights bring wonder and joy to all the creatures who bask in their mysterious glow.
From tiny specks of dust to gleaming rays in the dark, the northern lights travel across the Arctic, uniting every creature in a celebration over land and sea.
In this wonderfully wintery picture book, Yuval Zommer imagines the northern lights' fleeting journey from space to Earth and how they weave a special magic for the animals and people living in the frozen lands below.
With its heartfelt themes of kinship, curiosity, and the wonders of nature, it's a perfectly cozy story for families to read together.
Look for all of Yuval Zommer's beautiful nature stories:
The Tree That's Meant to Be
A Thing Called Snow
The Wild (coming Feburary 2024)
The Christmasaurus By Tom Fletcher; illustrated by Shane Devries
Move over, Rudolph! It's time for the Christmasaurus to lead Santa's sleigh.
The Christmasaurus is a dinosaur who lives with Santa Claus and his elves at the North Pole. More than anything, he wants to fly with Santa's reindeer on Christmas Eve! But no matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to figure out how to fly. . . .
Until one Christmas Eve, when he meets a young boy in a wheelchair who has a wonderful idea. What if all the Christmasaurus needs is someone to believe in him? With playful, rhyming text, international bestselling author Tom Fletcher adapts part of his novel into a heartwarming picture book about friendship and the power of believing that is sure to become a new Christmas classic.
The Donkey's Song By Jacki Kellum; illustrated by Sydney Hanson
Children will experience the first Christmas through new eyes in this heart-tugging story of the Nativity, told by the gentle but determined donkey that carried Jesus's parents to Bethlehem. It's a perfect Christmas gift book for snuggling up and sharing.
Sleepy but strong, I clip-clopped along
to rest in a stable with straw.
The wonder of the first Christmas miracle is movingly told with descriptions of scented pine, warm candlelight, fresh hay, and a "sweet angel sound" as a gentle donkey welcomes the baby Jesus. Each page has adorable, moonlit images of the humble farm animals that were there to witness and comfort.
This luminous, soothing song of hope, friendship, conviction, and faith is one that families will return to each Christmas for years to come.
So Much Snow By Kristen Schroeder; illustrated by Sarah Jacoby
A beautifully illustrated, rollicking read-aloud about forest animals who are caught—literally up to their ears and antlers—in a snowstorm.
On Monday, it starts to snow.
Silent swirling.
How high will it go?
Follow seven forest creatures, from a tiny mouse to a giant moose, as they hunker down in a snowstorm. As the week progresses, the snow piles up and up--even past Moose's antlers!
On Sunday, the sun starts to melt the snow, and it seems that, as the next week passes and it grows sunnier, spring has finally sprung. But wait...is that more snow?! This cumulative picture book is at once beautiful and lyrical and playful and joyful, with charming illustrations by a highly acclaimed illustrator.
