Winter Is Here

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors—one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller—and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything In It, A House, A Parade of Elephants, Chrysanthemum, and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.Laura Dronzek is a painter whose work has been exhibited nationally. Her picture books include Moonlight, by Helen V. Griffith; It Is Night, by Phyllis Rowand; White Is for Blueberry, by George Shannon; Little Houses, by Kevin Henkes; and a quartet of seasonal picture books also by Kevin Henkes. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

“This accomplished picture book details the season of winter. Author Henkes’ text is simple but evocative, observing winter in perceptive and sometimes-playful detail. Illustrator Dronzek’s acrylic illustrations...enrich and deepen the text as they add story details and warmth. ...A polished, playful story in which words and pictures dance in perfect harmony.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Gorgeous...An appealing series of pictures shows the boy donning boots and zippers, vests and zippers, and jackets and zippers, wryly underscored by humorous text. ...The gentle repetitions continue as winter stays, and stays and stays, until it finally shrinks away and slips around the corner into a gorgeous, green spring. ...The large format, language, and pictures merge in a just-right read-aloud for fans of winter’s charms.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)“Another must-have seasonal picture book created through the amazing collaboration of Henkes and Dronzek. . . .The descriptive word choice is able to set the scene perfectly with so few words, and the soft illustrations match and enrich the text seamlessly. . . .Bundle up for this wonderful wintry tale of all the highs and lows that the season has to offer.” — School Library Journal (starred review)“Henkes and Dronzek present a lyrical ode to winter and its many moods. The text, marked by a gentle rhythm, uses descriptive language to bring the season to vivid life...Expressive, full-bleed spreads steal the show.” — The Horn Book“A cinematically enticing take on winter, and the atmospheric lyricism is seasonally suitable. ...A cozy evocation both of the real and imagined experience of days measured by the white stuff.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“Acrylic paintings that spill off the pages set the scene through this book, an exploration of the long winter’s season’s juxtapositions. . .Winter’s journey, difficult and serene as it may be, ends with the full-page color spread that is spring. The simple, lyrical text and rich, soft illustrations work together to provide the perfect, snuggle-under-the-covers storytime experience.” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch“Have a warm cup of cocoa, snuggle up with a youngster and share Winter Is Here, a charmer by best-selling, award-winning Kevin Henkes. . .    his poetic words [are] accompanied by soft artwork by Laura Dronzek. . . .The season’s never looked or sounded better.” — The Missourian