Customer Reviews

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

This book is a wonderful info-packed gem about the Winter Solstice. The technical, as well as the historical and spiritual meaning of the event are nicely laid-out. I would recommend this book for Pagan families, secular school teachers and anyone wanting to teach their kids about Solstice. I particularly liked the end section that lists science experiments, as well as celebration ideas for kids to enjoy.

My one critique is that while it is a good book for school-aged kids to read, the text doesn't flow very well for a "read-aloud" book for younger kids.

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.

I purchased this book after reading reviews here at Amazon and then previewing the book at our local library. I was looking for a picture book for my 6 year old that explains the Winter Solstice as well as the human traditions with which it is associated. This book fits the bill better than anything else I found, and the delightful illustrations are a nice bonus.

It may come as a surprise to many people that a book about Winter holidays does not mention Christmas or Hannukah. However, this book reaches back farther in time to festivals and celebrations based on natural phenomena that occur in the Winter (shorter days, plants losing leaves). These very early celebrations gave rise to many of the customs that we still follow (bringing evergreens into the home, giving gifts, lighting candles). I love the anthropological perspective (I'm trained in this field), and was thrilled to find the suggested activities at the end of the book for children to make simple scientific observations and hold a secular celebration of the Solstice.

This book would make a wonderful classroom resource as well as a read-aloud picture book to read as a family. It may be a bit too easy a read for children at a 2nd grade reading level or higher, but I enjoy the simplicity even as an adult. I also find the secular perspective refreshing. I understand that many Christians believe the only winter holiday of importance is the celebration of Christ's birth, but this book shows how it is possible to celebrate Winter for it's own sake and to recognize why so many festivals are held in winter.

(Review from 9 year old girl, dictated to mom)
A great book! With a great amount of knowledge.
This little book has science and history and is fun. I like this story so much, I want to read it every year while I am a child.

This book has lovely illustrations, but the text and content could have been so much better. It says for ages 4-8, but really I wouldn't recommend it for anyone over 6. It is pretty simplistic, and won't hold the attention of a child much older than that. I wish it had included a lot more detail about the history of the Solstice.

I was very pleased with this book and it's coverage of the Winter Solstice. I was looking for something to help my 4 year old son understand the concept as well as realize the historical importance of the sun and moon. We celebrate Christmas but are eager to incorporate the holiday of the Winter Solstice as well. Our traditions will certainly include reading this book each year.

I was looking for a book to address winter solstice (as opposed to traditional organized religions). Pfeffer and Reisch's, The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice delivers. Pfeffer nicely explains some solstice traditions in a simple, yet historical, context and provides some great craft projects for different ages at the end of the book. Reisch's drawings work nicely with the content. Possibly, the prose could flow a bit better; however, the pine cone bird feeder craft made up for this shortcoming with an experience that my two year old loved. I expect the other crafts will work nicely as he grows older. Santa did a good thing when he dropped off this book ;).

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.

Excellent explanation for children of the historical importance of the winter solstice, and a good alternative to the preponderance of books celebrating only the Christian perspective on winter holidays....ie, Christmas.