Tilde Michels (text), David-Henry Wilson (translator), Reinhard Michl (illus.), Snowy Night, Starfish Bay, February 2015, 28pp., $12.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780994100221
This is one of a series of books from other countries translated for English readers by Starfish Bay Publishing. It is a heart-warming and humorous tale of unlikely alliances in a time of adversity. Hare, fox and bear all seek shelter with Peter in his warm cabin one blizzardy night. The rhyming text translates well from the original German, with an occasional interruption of rhythm.
The interplay of white space, text and illustrations contributes to a frosty feel of the cold winter’s night, and highlights the warmth inside the little cabin. The story arc is beautifully illustrated as the animals come calling one by one out of the freezing night, the middle is a full page spread of them all peacefully dozing in the warmth of the cabin, and then they leave into the snow as they came – alone. The pictures are created using a hatching and cross-hatching technique (like that used in Where The Wild Things Are), giving a rustic, wild texture and an ‘old worldly,’ folksy feel to the work. The colour palette reflects the extremes in climate – frosty blues for the freezing outside, and warm earthy colours for the snug inside.
Whilst this is a beautifully warm and light-hearted book, I found myself drawn to the heavier parallel of the Christmas truce during World War II. Although the book gives no information about its creators, the media release on the publisher’s website mentions that the author was born in Germany in 1920 and I wonder if this did, in fact, influence the story? Regardless, Snowy Night could serve as a springboard for discussion about issues such as compassion, friendship and trust. I would like to see the cultural heritage of the book highlighted in some way – perhaps in an introduction – as I think this adds to the richness of the story.
Engagingly written and illustrated, this book would be perfect for children in preschool and primary school and would be great fun to act out in the classroom setting. Recommended.
reviewed by Debra Tidball