Pistes d'exploration

Based on the title and jacket cover, predict what the story is going to be about. 

Talk about the character, setting and illustrations. How do the illustrations convey a message of safety and security?

Stop reading at the page where it says, “And I can go there every day . . . .” What is the boy referring to? Name a place you would visit every day if you could.

Share a favourite book with the class. Why is it meaningful to you? How do the illustrations make you feel?

Conduct a class survey: What do you hope for most when it snows? A day off? A day of skiing? Does the title hold a different meaning for you now? 

Examine the cover and the illustrations (up until the last two pages). Describe what you see. Which season and holiday are depicted? What do you remember when you look at the illustrations?

Read along with the class until the very end of the story. How does the boy visit these wonderful places? Make a class list of adventure books that you have read.

Bring a favourite adventure book to class. Talk about the setting, characters and important events in the story. Share the book with your classmates. 

Once Upon a Northern Night

Mots-clés

Picture book , Christmas , imagination , magic , reading , snow , winter

Commentaire descriptif

When the snow comes, a small boy and his teddy bear refuse to let the weather ruin their fun. Together, they embark on a wondrous adventure filled with polar bears, snowmen and more. In no time, they are joined by fairies, elves, a mammoth reindeer and Santa Claus. Best of all, they can go there every day. Simple, minimal text never has more than one or two lines per page, allowing the artwork to carry the story. Yet those few words have a poetic quality: “when the sun sinks, I follow a bright light into the dark.” Luminous full-bleed paintings draw the reader in and vividly dramatize the boy’s journey. Light is a key element in every case, varying from scene to scene. The gloomy forest is saturated in darkness while the rest of the outdoors is aglow in a wash of magic. All have a muted dream-like feel. A neat twist ultimately reveals that the boy’s fantastical adventures live within the pages of his favourite book, which he is enjoying by the Christmas tree, in the cozy warmth of his family home. As a seasonal read-aloud, it is charming, comforting and clever.