FOX AND OWL'S WINTER ADVENTURE, adorable wintertime antics

FOX AND OWL'S WINTER ADVENTURE
JACKIE LUI (illus. Moonlie Fong-Whittaker)
words & pictures (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$14.99 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Discover the magic of winter with Fox and Owl's Winter Adventure, a heartwarming picture book which blends storytelling, learning, and creative play.

In a gentle tale set against a snowy woodland backdrop, Ember the fox and her friend Flint the owl explore the excitement and beauty that winter brings. As they journey through the trees, young readers are introduced to winter wildlife, nature's rhythms and the quiet joys of friendship and kindness. After the story, there is more to learn and explore with animal fact files, seasonal eco-crafts, and a fun activity—perfect for little nature-lovers.

Part of a charmingly illustrated four-book series, Fox and Owl's Winter Adventure encourages children's creativity and nurtures their curiosity about the natural world.

Join these two animal friends and celebrate the wonder of winter!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Fox and Owl are buddies, which makes sense to my adult brain...they're both predators, one isn't going to be scared of the other...and is great graphically because they're perfectly balanced visually and in color value in real life, so the artist does not need to fudge any of the composition's values. For kids, the playful look of the art is terrific, attention-grabbing stuff. There are two spreads that have facts about the natural lives of the animals:

...that are enough different graphically to make it obvious to a kid these pages are not the same as the story, while maintaining the sense of continuity that keeps them from popping the lap-reader out into a new visual regime.

I'd hand this to a clever five-year-old and expect them to see the story, if they can already read...but would expect to have to explain the facts spreads.

It's a lovely St. Nicholas Night lap-read, both of you will enjoy the dear little tale of friends romping in the snow. It might even be possible to reenact some antics, depending on your local weather!