Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Joyful celebration of winter solstice and new year's light.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
As THE SHORTEST DAY begins, it shows ancient people looking at the sun as if it were a giant man walking across the land. Then we see what appear to be Europeans in a past century bundled up and gathering sticks for fires and bringing them home to their houses. "And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world / Came people singing, dancing, To drive the dark away." They light candles in a winter tree and dance around a bonfire in the snow, eventually greeting the sunrise in the distance. The next spread shows contemporary kids greeting the sunset as they arrive at a house decorated for Christmas. Once inside, "They carol, feast, give thanks / And dearly love their friends, and hope for peace."
Is It Any Good?
This joyful picture book traces the long tradition of celebrating the winter solstice. Kids today may not be aware of the deep roots of gathering together on The Shortest Day, but this book shows how the ritual of lighting candles and hoping for brighter (and longer) days has meaning in multiple religious and cultural traditions. Susan Cooper's moving poem and Carson Ellis' wintery art help kids time-travel across generations to the present day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Shortest Day explains the long tradition of celebrating on the shortest day of the year. Had you ever heard of the solstice? Have you noticed that the days get shorter in fall and winter and longer in spring and summer? What's your favorite holiday or season? Why?
What are some of the winter holiday traditions that your family celebrates?
Why do people give thanks during an end-of-year celebration? Why is it important to show gratitude?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Carson Ellis
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Holidays , STEM
- Character Strengths : Gratitude
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Candlewick Press
- Publication date : October 22, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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