In the Winter Woods [Hardcover]

Will stubborn Squirrel share his secret stash of food with his fellow forest animals? A winter season tale about community and being compassionate to others.

Winter has left Fox, Mouse, and Raven hungry as they search for food to fill their stomachs. After overhearing Squirrel talking about his stockpile of reserves, they ask him to share. After refusing, Squirrel forgets where he hid it.

Only after working together is everyone able to fill their empty bellies.

The perfect social-emotional picture book to teach children why sharing is important.Fox, Mouse, and Crow wander the winter woods, looking for food, but there is none.
As the animals search for sustenance, a refrain reminds readers, “But it’s winter, and winter is not willing to share.” Squirrel, the only animal who has stockpiled food, pipes up: “Have to dash and find my stash.” Overhearing him, the other animals feel he should share his bounty, but selfish Squirrel is unwilling to do so. Unfortunately, Squirrel’s unable to remember where he hid his food, so he returns to the threesome, promising to share if they’ll help him find it. Crow and Mouse are miffed: “Now that you can’t find your stash, you come running back.” Fox points out that they must all cooperate if they want to succeed, and the foursome search together. Translated from German, the writing feels a bit off-kilter in its attempts at a colloquial sound (“Gosh-double-deer-dung-darn-it, she is so hungry!”). The animals themselves are cartoonishly executed, but the painterly winter scenes created digitally, full of trees with empty, curving branches in subtle shades of brown and gray, are quite splendid. Though the lesson is heavy-handed and the story less than original, the book is aided by the attractive al³,