Once Upon a Northern Night (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781554981380)

Once Upon a Northern Night has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

In this exquisite lullaby, the beauty and wonder of a northern winter night unfold, with images of a soft snowfall, the wild animals that appear in the garden, the twinkling stars, the gentle rhythm of the northern lights and the etchings of frost on the window pane.

As the young child sleeps, wrapped in a downy blanket, a snowflake falls, and then another and another. The poem describes the forest of snow-covered pines, where a deer and fawn nibble a frozen apple, and a great gray owl swoops down with its feathers trailing through the snow. Two snowshoe hares scamper and play under the watchful eyes of a little fox, and a tiny mouse scurries in search of a midnight feast. When the snow clouds disappear, stars light up the sky, followed by the mystical shimmering of northern lights - all framed by the frost on the window.

Jean E. Pendziwol's lyrical poem reflects a deep appreciation of the magic of a northern winter night where, even as a child slumbers, the world outside does not rest but continues its own natural rhythms.

Isabelle Arsenault's spare, beautifully rendered illustrations, with their subtle but striking use of color, make us feel that we too are experiencing the enchantment of that northern night. They simultaneously evoke winter's nighttime life and the cozy warmth and security of a beloved child's sleep.

Author: Jean E. Pendziwol
ISBN-10: 1554981387
ISBN-13: 9781554981380
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Language: English
Published: 08/01/2013
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.83lbs
Size: 10.60h x 8.50w x 0.50d

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.6
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 170491 / Once Upon a Northern Night

Award: Governor General's Literary Awards - Finalist

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 06/10/2013
Quill & Quire 07/01/2013 pg. 42
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2013
School Library Journal 10/01/2013 pg. 90
Booklist 12/15/2013 pg. 42
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2014 pg. 42 - Recommended, Satisfactory