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review

Bear's Winter Party

By Deborah Hodge and Lisa Cinar

Groundwood Books, 32 pages, $19

Bear loves living in the forest. Sadly, the feeling isn't exactly reciprocated. He knows that he is bigger than the other animals, with a louder growl and sharper claws, but he wishes they wouldn't run away every time he leaves his den to get a drink of water or collect berries. Most of all, Bear is lonely. As the seasons change and the temperature drops, Bear is determined to find a friend before he settles in to hibernate. He prepares a party, complete with huckleberry tarts and honey-ginger cookies, and optimistically waits for his terrified guests to show up. Bear's story oozes with charm and pathos. His efforts are so endearing that regardless of outcome (don't worry, the guests show up), it's a book that exemplifies the coziness that comes with early winter, to the point that the recipe for Bear's cookies are included. Curl up and hibernate with this book during the next snow day with your kid.

The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold

By Maureen Fergus and Cale Atkinson

Tundra Books, 32 pages, $22

The holidays are normally a busy time for Santa; he's got a lot of prepping and planning to do before the big night. But this year, Santa's facing a crisis. See, he's started to believe that Harold – one of his regular stops on Christmas Eve – doesn't really exist. He's pretty sure Harold's parents write his Christmas list. None of his friends believes in Harold. And he's never really seen any proof that Harold actually exists. Mrs. Claus and the elves are in shock. How magic can Christmas even be without Harold? Santa, not convinced, decides he needs a plan to find out if Harold exists. This clever and funny book laced with slapstick elements flips a regular holiday story on its head. Santa proves a natural in his role as a skeptical detective, equal parts curmudgeonly and cuddly. He's on a mission, and the rest of Christmas can wait.

Du Iz Tak?

By Carson Ellis

Candlewick, 48 pages $22

Flipping through a copy of this book without any context, you might assume that you accidentally picked up a foreign translation by mistake. The insects in Carson Ellis's world speak a made-up language (though there is an impressive linguistic consistency throughout). This is all part of Ellis's world-building, set in her trademark earthy palette: it's completely fictional, but wholly believable. The book starts when a tiny shoot appears in the ground one day. Slowly, insects start to gather round, trying to figure out what it is and why it's there. As it slowly grows taller, more bugs join the party. They build a home amongst its leaves; they boogie; they attempt to fight off outside threats like spider webs and predatory birds. With minimal text and crisp images, Ellis's book is deceptively simple, but don't be fooled; this whimsical story requires a close reading to truly absorb all its subtle delights.

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