Winter Solstice Wish
On the shortest day of the year, people reach out for light--and one another--in this luminous, lyrical winter solstice story.
Today we stretch the daylight as much as we can, trying to make it last.
On the shortest day of the year, when daylight slips by like sand through one's fingers, people savor the light. As night falls, a community gathers on a beach and builds a bonfire of hope. Winter Solstice Wish is an ode to the winter solstice, human connectedness, and the hope of renewal.
Inspired by winter solstice bonfires built on a San Diego beach near the author's home, Winter Solstice Wish combines scientific concepts with the intangible longing for connection and togetherness that people all over the world reach for on the shortest day. Backmatter includes information about global winter solstice celebrations and a brief scientific explanation of what's happening on a solstice.
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Kate Allen Fox is the author of Pando: The Living Wonder of Trees and A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse. After working in public health, she combined her passions for science and the written word and began writing inspiring nature-based picture books. She lives, hikes, and homeschools in California with her family.
"Poetic text and glowing artwork combine in this lyrical book about winter-solstice celebrations.... Though not specifically related to any one cultural or religious custom, this skillfully captures the common experience of seeking warmth, light, and community on the longest nights of the year." --Booklist
"The language has a powerful forward momentum and is rich with imagery and metaphor.... The setting, with palm trees and sunshine, is a unique choice that refuses to equate darkness with cold. Contemplative, joyful, and informative, this book is recommended for school and public libraries." --School Library Journal, starred review
"A bright spot of hope on a day where darkness is dominant." --Kirkus Reviews
"Poetry meets the planetary as Fox's free verse describes a beachside celebration of the winter solstice.... Shimmery sunset hues add ribbons of light to Paganelli's inky indigo nightscapes, communicating a sense of celestial connection." --Publishers Weekly
