North Country Night

Author/illustrator Daniel San Souci explores the world of nocturnal animals during the winter in this gorgeous picture book. When the lights go out at the cabin by the lake, and darkness falls, a variety of creatures—a great horned owl, coyote, fox, mountain lion, porcupine, cottontail rabbit, bobcat, beaver, long-tailed weasel, raccoon, river otter, and mule deer—emerge. The text describes how each one passes by other creatures, as they go about their various activities...

Although I have read and enjoyed a number of books which San Souci has illustrated—Robert D. San Souci's Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story, Eric A. Kimmel's The Flying Canoe: A Christmas Story, Aaron Shepard's The Gifts of Wali Dad: A Tale of India and show more Pakistan—North Country Night is the first title I have picked up that he both wrote and illustrated. I found the narrative simple but engaging, depicting a wide variety of animal species, but carefully avoiding having any of them come into close contact, no doubt in order to avoid having to depict the hunt and the kill in a picture book aimed at younger children. The accompanying artwork was truly gorgeous, really elevating this one for me. I'm fond of wintry landscapes, and San Souci captures them beautifully, while also skillfully depicting each animal mentioned. Recommended to young animal lovers, and to any picture book readers looking for tales of the wintry woods. show less

If Jan Brett's The Mitten grew up and became a nonfiction-style picture book, this is what you would get. An attractively illustrated (though it looks a bit like day-for-night lighting) peek into the lives of woodland wildlife in winter. 2nd grade might be the peak interest level.

An autobiographical graphic novel about a man returning to his parents’ home in northern New York and his memories of growing up with a violent, alcoholic father and indifferent mother. A little melodramatic and overly sentimental as many of these are.

Award-winning artist Daniel San Souci exquisitely depicts the activities of such noctumal animals as the great horned owl, the long-tailed weasel and the graceful mule deer.