WINTER LULLABY

This carefully crafted question-and-answer book is more than a lullaby; its excellent content need not be saved for bedtime. Alternating spreads ask questions and then provide answers: “When wind whistles through the evergreen forest, where do the bats go?” is answered in the next spread, “To caverns deep, for a long sleep.” The series of questions explains natural phenomena—where bees, snakes, mice, fish, etc., go when it becomes too cold for them. The last of the questions in this quick but compelling read comes as two children return home from sledding, chilly and ready for a cozy perch on their father’s lap by the fireplace. The pastoral illustrations offer first expansive views of nature, followed by close-up depictions of the animals’ snug retreats; a patchwork of crops is shown from a distance or from overheard, its vegetation slightly rounded; a desert scene comes with a dramatic sky. From mountains to desert, from hayloft to underwater stream, the imagery and ideas offer delight. (Picture book. 3-6)