Winter Solstice Wish

An ode to the shortest day of the year and the hope of renewal, Winter Solstice Wish weaves together lush art, scientific concepts, and the intangible longing for connection and togetherness.

On the shortest day of the year, people reach out for light--and one another--in this luminous, lyrical winter solstice story.

Today we stretch the daylightas much as we can, trying to make it last.

On the shortest day of the year, when daylight slips by like sand through one's fingers, people savor the light. As night falls, a community gathers on a beach and builds a bonfire of hope. Winter Solstice Wish is an ode to the winter solstice, human connectedness, and the hope of renewal.

Inspired by winter solstice bonfires built on a San Diego beach near the author's home, Winter Solstice Wish combines scientific concepts with the intangible longing for connection and togetherness that people all over the world reach for on the shortest day. Backmatter includes information about global winter solstice celebrations and a brief scientific explanation of what's happening on a solstice.

Kate Allen Fox is the author of Pando: The Living Wonder of Trees and A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse. After working in public health, she combined her passions for science and the written word and began writing inspiring nature-based picture books. She lives, hikes, and homeschools in California with her family.

Elisa Paganelli was born in Italy. After completing artistic studies, she made a career in advertising and has been the founder of a small award-winning design/trade business. She now lives and works in the UK as an illustrator and creative designer, accompanied by her beloved pets. Elisa loves quietness and feels truly at home in nature.

"The language has a powerful forward momentum and is rich with imagery and metaphor.... The setting, with palm trees and sunshine, is a unique choice that refuses to equate darkness with cold. Contemplative, joyful, and informative, this book is recommended for school and public libraries." --School Library Journal, starred review

"A bright spot of hope on a day where darkness is dominant." --Kirkus Reviews

"Poetry meets the planetary as Fox's free verse describes a beachside celebration of the winter solstice.... Shimmery sunset hues add ribbons of light to Paganelli's inky indigo nightscapes, communicating a sense of celestial connection." --Publishers Weekly