December 15, 2011
Our Best Book of the library haul: Singing Away the Dark by Caroline Woodward and Julie Morstad
Okay, here’s the perfect picture book for the darkest time of year. Caroline Woodward’s rhyming verse matched with Julie Morstad’s illustrations (and oooh, that cardinal!) make Singing Away the Dark an absolutely delightful book. “When I was six, and went to school, I walked a long, long way…” this book begins, and its narrator recounts her bravery as she walks a mile to the school bus before the sun’s even risen, facing the dark, the shadows in the trees, and other obstacles (errant cows!) by trudging forthwith and singing loud. “I see a line of big old trees, marching up the hill. ‘I salute you, Silent Soldiers! Help me if you will.'”
My love of Simply Read Books knows no bounds lately, and I’m so happy to have discovered them, for their books are always wonderful, but also beautiful (and oh, the endpapers on this one, a pattern of leafless trees). And once again, I’m cheating, because I didn’t find this book on my own, but rather it comes recommended by Theresa Kishkan, Sara O’Leary, AND the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. And really, the quality of the book warrants all the hype.
I have not heard about this book before! Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry. I need some singing away of the dark right about now …
It’s a great book. Saw the author at a reading in Winnipeg. The illustrations complement the story really well. Highly recommend it.
I heart Simply Read Books. They are some of the nicest people who publish some of the nicest books. One of my favourites is the Red Tree by Shaun Tan.
Interesting that you also found your way to this beautiful book…I always buy myself one special children’s book every Christmas -seriously for me, not my son (he gets piles of books from me under the tree) – My choice is not always christmas related but more winter related and usually to do with trees! The cover of this book with my beloved birch trees just called out to me..and I scooped it up lovingly….you might also like other tree related children’s books I have collected over the years… here are a few titles: Atwood’s Up in the Tree, Udry;s A Tree is Nice, and my favourite with its stunning birch tree artistry- Astrid Lindgren’s The Red Bird…Yes , she of Pippi Longstocking fame- the most stunningly beautiful book with a very moving story. Get thee to a bookstore and gather these for Harriet (and yourself)