Winter’s Child

Winter is an exciting time of the year. Tom loves the snow and all the possibilities it offers. But it is also a lonely time. So when a mysterious boy appears, his friendship is welcome. But it is a friendship that will have consequences, and Tom and his friend will have a difficult choice to make.

Angela MacAllister has a reputation for crafting modern fairytales. In her story of a friendship between two boys, one human, the other the child of winter, she takes a traditional theme, juxtaposing friend and family and the choices that this might demand; choices that might be unappealing, but will be ultimately rewarding.  Her narrative is economical but effective. Baker-Smith’s illustrations illuminate and extend the text, creating a winter world in which the cold is tangible. His saturated colours – electric blues, whites that shift from pure white to silver to grey and on – emphasise the beauty and the danger of this landscape. His snow really glitters – but no extraneous glitter has been used. The effect is the result of meticulous art work where individual snowflake patterns are massed together, tricking the eye into seeing their dazzling movement. The subtle difference in his presentation of the two boys, allows his audience to sense that one is not of this world before ever the text explains. But the art is not mere decoration. The little inset scenes emphasise the human drama and present details that bring to mind that other great winter tale, The Snow Queen. This is an artist who uses all the tools available, traditional and digital and with real effect. The result is not just a beautiful book but a satisfying one that deserves to find a wide audience of all ages.