Gather Grateful
by Megan Litwin; illus. by Alexandra Finkeldey
Primary    Candlewick    32 pp.
9/25    9781536233384    $18.99

“Colors change. Cold sweeps near. / The time for gathering is here.” Amidst a fall backdrop, animals such as bears, foxes, and rabbits prepare for winter. Finkeldey’s digitally finished gouache and acrylic ink illustrations capture the warmth of the season with rich browns and dark orange. Later, as the palette introduces a complementary cool blue, the focus of the gentle text also shifts—to a multigenerational human family sharing a meal. In one compelling double-page spread, a family of raccoons in a tree and an older woman and two kids standing in front of a window seem to contemplate one another. “Gather outside. Gather in. / Cozy time can now begin.”

From the November/December 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.