Through the North Pole Snow
by Polly Faber; illus. by Richard Jones
Primary    Candlewick    32 pp.    g
11/22    978-1-5362-2852-6    $18.99

While searching for food in the snow, a white fox is rescued by a kindly bearded man. Though the man’s identity as Santa Claus isn’t revealed until the end, perceptive readers will notice text and illustration clues throughout (e.g., “Stuck? Now that’s a problem I understand!”; the red-and-white suit hanging by the fireplace). Faber’s quiet narrative recounts the animal’s year watching its host create toys he matches with letters from children. Any remaining mystery is cleared up once eight reindeer arrive to fly Santa’s sleigh full of toys. Jones’s textured mixed-media illustrations beautifully contrast the bold hues of cold winter nights and the pastel warmth inside the fox’s new North Pole home.

From the November/December 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.