Kate Banks Archives -

Children’s Picture Book Review – The Winter Bird

February 21, 2023
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Ages 3-7, Animals - Birds, Children's Book Reviews, Emotions & Feelings, Facing Challenges, Friendship Stories, Juvenile Fiction, Nature, Perseverance, Resilience, Social Situations - Friendship, Weather, Winter & Cold Weather

THE WINTER BIRD

Written by Kate Banks

Illustrated by Suzie Mason

(Candlewick Press; $18.99, Ages 3-7)

Written by Kate Banks and illustrated by Suzie Mason, The Winter Bird is a comforting and heartwarming story of friendship and perseverance, helping readers discover the quiet strength of patience and hope.

During the time of year “when the sun [goes] to bed early,” brown bear and hedgehog prepare for their annual winter routines. Nestled in a thicket and nursing a broken wing, the nightingale watches the geese, starlings, and swallows fly away. “‘What will happen to me?’” the nightingale asks. As a spring bird, it “‘knows nothing of winter.’”

The Winter Bird int1 injured nightingale watches geese fly — THE WINTER BIRD. Text Copyright © 2022 Kate Banks. Illustrations Copyright © 2022 by Suzie Mason. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

“‘You will learn … You will learn,’” hoots the owl who, along with other friendly animals like the rabbit and gray squirrel, provide food and shelter, helping the nightingale survive its new icy surroundings.

Adapting to the slow, winter rhythm of nesting, waiting, and wondering, the nightingale learns the beauty in both the harshness and brilliance of the season. In lovely, lyrical language, we watch the landscape change as “the cold cre[eps] in on icy feet” and “the waltz of winter” begins. Beautiful illustrations in soft browns and grays, rounded edges, and spots of bright color let readers know: though the storm is coming, all will be well.

The Winter Bird int2 forest animals in snow — THE WINTER BIRD. Text Copyright © 2022 Kate Banks. Illustrations Copyright © 2022 by Suzie Mason. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Throughout it all, the nightingale does what it knows how to do–sing. Whether singing of “winter’s woes” or “winter’s wonders,” it brings comfort to both itself and the other animals around it. A spring bird, the nightingale patiently learns how to “become a winter bird, too.”

A soothing picture book for bedtime or quiet time, The Winter Bird invites readers to bundle up, settle in, and enjoy the wonder of winter.

Reviewed by Armineh Manookian

Kids Book Review: A Thoughtful and Timeless Tale – Noah Builds an Ark by Kate Banks

NOAH BUILDS AN ARK
Written by Kate Banks
Illustrated by John Rocco
(Candlewick Press; $16.99, Ages 3-7)

★Starred Review – Kirkus Reviews

A gentle retelling of the familiar Biblical story, Noah Builds an Ark by Kate Banks with art by John Rocco illustrates the giving and receiving of tender care in the midst of a major storm.

A slight tension fills the air as dark clouds approach Noah’s house. In the backyard, restless salamanders slither “to and fro” and beetles and mice try to take shelter. Getting his tools from the yard, Noah’s father makes a thought-provoking comment: “It’s going to be a beauty.” What is? The preparation, the storm, the aftermath?

Interior spread by John Rocco from Noah Builds an Ark by Kate Banks — NOAH BUILDS AN ARK. Text copyright © 2019 by Kate Banks. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by John Rocco. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Just as Noah’s parents work hard to prepare for the storm, Noah, similarly, takes thorough care of his garden friends’ needs. For shelter, he builds an ark out of his wagon and fills the space with all the comforts of home: food, furniture, water, and light from a flashlight. Whatever his parents provide for him and his sister, Noah, in turn, provides for his critters.

Noah Builds an Ark by Kate Banks int spread by John Rocco — NOAH BUILDS AN ARK. Text copyright © 2019 by Kate Banks. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by John Rocco. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Rocco’s detailed pencil and watercolor illustrations emphasize this give and take motion. On the left side of the page, we readers see the actions his parents take and on the right we see Noah mimicking that action. When the storm arrives, the illustrations once again draw similarities between the two. Both groups huddle, share food, and pass the time with calming activities. One double-page spread is particularly poignant as it draws our attention to the slats of wood—wood that boards Noah’s window and wood that houses in his garden friends. It’s a powerful image of protection and community despite the raging rain “splash[ing] down like silver swords thrown from heaven.” Banks’ imagery captures, too, the beauty and danger of their situation.

When the clouds suddenly retreat and the “sun turn[s] its light back on,” Noah is treated to a wide and stunning rainbow. A sign of the covenant between God and the earth in the original story, the rainbow here represents a symbol of peace and restoration. Two by two the creatures leave the ark and resume their roles in Noah’s garden.

So what was “going to be a beauty” after all? Dedication in caring for one another, the sense of community during troubled times, and the healing qualities of the natural world are all beautiful themes in this story. For animal and nature lovers, for those familiar and new to Noah’s Ark, for those needing a quiet bedtime story and a suspenseful adventure, Noah Builds an Ark is for any child who enjoys a timeless tale.