Kate Westerlund

When a group of rabbits and mice found a soggy, bedraggled teddy bear in the snow, they aren't sure just what he is, or what they should do with him. Taking him to Arthur, the forest's grouchy but kindhearted bear, they discover that the teddy is some child's lost plaything. Together they do what they can to spruce him up, and with the aid of the birds, return him to his little girl...

Author Kate Westerlund and illustrator Feridun Oral, who previously collaborated on The Message of the Birds, return to the Christmas theme with A Whisper in the Snow. A sweet, warmhearted story is paired with absolutely gorgeous artwork. I'm an admirer of Oral, a Turkish illustrator with a particular talent for depicting wintry scenes, and he does not disappoint here. Recommended to anyone looking for Christmassy, wintertime tales about forest animals, lost toys, and the spirit of the season.… (mehr)

An old owl tells the other birds the Christmas story in this lovely holiday picture-book, relaying how Baby Jesus was born in the stable, and how the birds who witnessed the miracle of his birth heard, in the sound of his cooing, a message for the world. Wondering why they no longer sing this message - have people stopped listening, and if so, why? - the birds set out to spread the word: Peace on Earth...

I probably wouldn't have gone to the trouble of tracking this one down, if I wasn't such an admirer of the illustrator, Feridun Oral, a Turkish artist whose other wintry picture-books (in English) - The Red Apple, A Warm Winter - are so beautiful. That said, I'm glad I read The Message of the Birds, with its gentle unfolding of one part of the Christmas message, as understood and spread by our avian friends. The illustrations, as was to be expected, were simply breathtaking, simple but beautiful, with a diverse array of gorgeous birds flitting across sepia and white-toned pages. The use of color here is astute, with flashes of deeper hues intermingled with more subtle ones, perfectly capturing the enchantment of snowy scenes, and the delicate charm of the eponymous birds. Recommended to anyone looking for sweet, beautifully-illustrated Christmas picture-books.… (mehr)