Spare, poetic language describes the behaviors of a number of plants and animals, not just during winter, but also during droughts. Trees coated in ice wrap their buds in "tiny leaf blankets" to wait for spring. Ladybugs crowd together, waiting for the warmer days to come. A chickadee, on a cold winter night, tucks itself into a little ball "For just a few hours, you would pause." Then it zips across the page, warmed by the morning sun. Earthworms seal themselves in mucus, waiting for the rain, alligators burrow into the mud on cold days. Each phase is illustrated with gorgeous photographs, showing trees frozen in ice and bursting into bloom, animals curled up in cozy balls and playing in the fresh air and sun.
Back matter explains dormancy in detail, from plant dormancy to estivation. The last page includes further reading, websites, and photo acknowledgements.
This would be a great storytime book, encouraging kids to sit still then jump up as they come out of their "dormant" phase. The additional back matter would be useful for teachers and parents to encourage further research into animal and plant behavior, or to use this as an introduction to dormancy and hibernation (both very popular topics here in the Midwest). The gorgeous photographs are the icing on the cake, and don't forget to do a nature poetry unit, asking school-age kids to write their own poems based on the photos!
Verdict: Not an absolutely necessary purchase, but with many uses for both preschool and school-age kids, this is definitely one to consider if you have the funds.
ISBN: 9781541561922; Published September 2019 by Milbrook/Lerner; Borrowed from another library in my consortium
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