Good Night Wind

© 2012-2019 Linda Elovitz Marshall. All rights reserved. Site design Donna Farrell

Synopsis:
When the exhausted winter wind throws a snowy tantrum, it finds comfort in the friendship of two young children in this lyrical retelling of a Yiddish folktale illustrated with stunning collage.

In this retelling of a Yiddish folktale, "Winter Wind worked hard all season long / blowing away leaves, / preparing trees for coats of snow and ice." Now, Wind is tired and needs a place to rest. But no one wants to shelter so cold and blustery a Wind--not the townspeople, not the country innkeeper, not even the gnarled tree who is worried about frozen roots. Finally, Wind does what any of us do when we are overtired: Wind has a tantrum. And it is only with the help of two small children brave enough to weather the storm that Wind finally finds the perfect place to sleep. Gentle language coupled with intricate photo-illustrations of collage dioramas tell this sweet tale about empathy and friendship. The visuals in this book are striking for their vibrancy, palette, and movement.

Good Night Wind


Illustrated by Maëlle Doliveux

Publisher: Holiday House 

ISBN-10: 0823437887
ISBN-13: 978-0823437887

“A sparkling story whose fresh words and deeply imagined, skillfully rendered illustrations give it a feel that is both contemporary and folkloric."
—★ Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Striking artwork fashioned from ribbons of crisply cut colored paper enlivens this retelling of a Yiddish folktale. . . . Marshall (Mommy, Baby, and Me) writes with the force of a gale . . . Spreads in autumn reds and winter blues by cut-paper artist Doliveux carry still more energy—gusts blow off Wind’s bulky blue body as sailing ribbons and embossed white paper represents mounds of snow. Discovering that rage can mask other emotions is powerful knowledge, and readers will be drawn to the image of the two children taming a gigantic force."
—Publishers Weekly 


"Near the end of wintertime, the wind—personified in Doliveux’s striking illustrations as a large blue body affixed with different-colored and -textured strips of paper, depending on its changeable mood—is tired. . . . The children find an out of the-way resting spot for Wind, and in doing so, make a friend for all seasons. . . . readers should appreciate the cleverness and problem-solving abilities of her young characters, not to mention their empathy."
—The Horn Book Magazine

Also reviewed by 
Spirituality and Practice HERE
Glass of Wine Glass of Milk HERE

I love how the children understand and care for Wind. 

If only we could all care for nature the same way …

 ~Linda

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