1. ★ Winter? Cold? It’s all in the way you look at things as this imaginative book makes clear... A special book worthy of many readings, this radiates warmth.                                                                                          
   

                                               --Booklist (starred)

1. •There’s a lively flow to both illustration and text,
   

...A cheerful celebration of winter’s pleasures.

                                               --School Library Journal

1. •...the pictures, many on double-page spreads, in gorgeous glowing acrylics on watercolor paper, capture the warmth and vibrancy of her unique premise.
   

                                               --Kirkus Reviews

1. •...a sleepy-time snugglefest filled with color and comfort by a Minneapolis author.
   

                                               --Minneapolis Star Tribune

1. •So long, dog days of summer ---winter’s hot chocolate, blankets, and wraparound scarves give plenty of warm fuzzies to the little-boy narrator in this gorgeous book. Use it to inspire your students’ own poetic takes on the season.
   

                                               --Teacher’s Picks, Instructor 

                                                 Magazine

A Little Bit About...

How I Came to Write and Illustrate Winter is the Warmest Season:

Two essential things happened that made it possible for me to write this story:

First, since my children were born, I have kept notes on things they have said and done that delight and surprise me. I had no idea on one hot, steaming summer day when my six year old son turned to me and said, “Winter is the hottest season ‘cause everybody drinks hot chocolate and wears warm clothes, and sits in front of hot fires,” that his interesting logic would turn itself into a picture book!

Second, I was lucky to meet four extraordinary women who were interested in starting a writer’s group. At our first meeting we discussed what our group would be like, how often we would meet, and what we would call ourselves. (Inkslingers, LTQ) I was so excited about this first meeting that I went home, pulled out my file of story ideas and found my son’s quote about winter. I played with it, added to it, shifted words around and around until I  had a beginning that pulled me in and an ending that made me laugh. Somehow I knew I had written a story that was just right. Luckily, my editor thought so too.

Here are a few of the illustrations in the works. All around them are small painted studies and images I have collected to inspire me. Already you can see lots of warm colors: reds, oranges, yellows. Not the usual winter palette!