The Woods
Chronicle Books/Raincoast Books
age 3-5, 5-8
by Paul Hoppe
44 pages
Synopsis from Raincoast Books:
When a boy can’t find his favorite stuffed bunny, he bravely heads into the woods to look for it. Instead, he finds a big, scary brown bear! But the bear is just lonely, so the boy shares his night light and forges ahead with his new companion, until…they run into two frightening giants! As the boy continues on, he comes across other seemingly menacing creatures, but finds that like him they’re just looking for some comfort and security before bedtime. Simple text and classic European style meet a fresh, modern twist in this delightful picture book.
Night time can be scary to kids. The dark makes every day items in their room seem more menacing. The Woods shows kids that it’s okay to be afraid, but sometimes comfort can make a scary situation not so scary. For the boy it’s his bunny (like my own five year old daughter), but for others it can be a night light or a story. I love how the various creatures illustrate these different needs of comfort. The illustrations transition from the boys bedroom into the metaphorical woods of say his imagination or what he invisions his room turning into at night time, is wonderful.
The Woods also shows that with the comfort of friends you can sometimes conquer the impossible, like the dark night. This is a great bedtime story, whether it’s for a child who is afraid of the dark or just a reminder that having things of comfort (a stuffie, a blanket, a story) is just fine.
You can find a copy of The Woods by visiting your local book store or visiting Raincoast Books. Visit our Kid’s Books section for other great book recommendations. What are you reading with your kids?
I have to thank Crystal at Raincoast Books for my review copy.