The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and informative
Review: Good piece of children's nonfiction. Provides a brief history of beliefs and enlightenment regarding the winter solstice. Beautifully illustrated throughout. I bought this book to use in my classroom. It has a variety of activities and experiments in the back of the book that reach out to children of all ages. A couple are a little too involved for my second graders but would be great for older children. We enjoyed doing the shadow activity and making the two bird feeders which we hung in the courtyard outside our classroom. I will now look for books on the summer solstice.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and informative
Review: Good piece of children's nonfiction. Provides a brief history of beliefs and enlightenment regarding the winter solstice. Beautifully illistrated throughout. I bought this book to use in my classroom. It has a variety of activities and experiments in the back of the book that reach out to children of all ages. A couple are a little too involved for my second graders but would be great for older children. We enjoyed doing the shadow activity and making the two bird feeders which we hung in the courtyard outside our classroom. I will now look for books on the summer solstice.

Rating:
Summary: Good explanation of Xmas for non-denominational
Review: I got this book to provide an explanation of Christmas to my toddler which was not religious-based. This book will do that, I think. We'll start reading it now although I don't expect it to sink in until she is a little older. I also got "The Winter Solstice" by Ellen Jackson. Jackson's book is a little darker and scarier, with more of an emphasis on the winter solstice's history of driving away "evil spirits" and even mentions human sacrifice. I'll save that one until my child is much older.

Rating:
Summary: With fine color illustrations
Review: Winter begins on the shortest day, Dec. 21st, and changes the lives and habits of all. Shortest Day uses lyrical prose and illustrations to explain the winter solstice and how it's been celebrated by various cultures throughout history. Fine color illustrations by Jesse Reisch create a warm, realistic atmosphere.