On a Wintry Morning

by Dori Chaconas, Stephen T. Johnson (Illustrator)

A father and his infant daughter bundle up for a sleigh ride on a winter's morning, in a tender and engaging celebration of winter. By the illustrator of the Caldecott Honor book Alphabet City.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Poetry

Hardcover

First published October 23, 2000

About the author

Dori Chaconas learned story pacing from an early age while entertaining her younger siblings. The author of such picture books as ON A WINTRY MORNING, ONE LITTLE MOUSE, and MOMMA, WILL YOU?, she lives in Germantown, Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Adorable. The perfect book to read with very young children.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really cute and probably would appeal to the very youngest of readers--the poetry is song-like, reminds me of something one would sing to babies as there is a lot of repetition (I don't mean that in a bad way, though!) The pictures are very sweet. And nice to see a story featuring Daddy in the nurturing role.

[JESSICA J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I put this book on my favorites shelf because it is a great poem with a winter theme that I think will appeal to students for several reasons. The verses of the poem rhyme and have a lot of repetition, with the rhythm being very song-like. The illustrations are beautifully painted in warm muted colors, with the repeating contrast of red in many pages. I also like that the poem features a daddy and his daughter- a contrast to the typical mommy/child scenarios. I think On a Wintry Morning is best suited for primary grades K-2.

I would definitely see this as a read aloud in the classroom, especially in the winter time obviously. Something else I think would be fun too, would be to do a two person read aloud, where each line is read by a different reader with some in tandem.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from that sweet illustration by artist Stephen T. Johnson, and the lyrical verse in the first four lines, I'm enthralled.

The words are singing right off the page; and the pictures look so very alive, with faces painted in shades of wonder and joy!

I teared up: Warm tears for the love that good parents can give their children, and more warm tears for those moments when a baby feels well cared for, like this happy one.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again this is a rhyming text that would be fun to chant along to. It uses slightly antiquated phrases like "bonny" but is very much in the spirit of classic children's rhymes. The oil painting illustrations of a white little girl and her dad are also dated. I would really like to see this updated with illustrations showing a minority family.

[Cherina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary: On a Wintry Morning is a poetry book about a father and daughter duo who spend a wintry day together performing various activities. This book highlights the special bond that is formed between a parent and child, specifically a father and his little girl.

Other: This book contains great illustrations. Stephen Johnson captured a lot of genuine expressions in his work.

Recommend for: This book is suitable for children ages 4 to 7.

Uses: The size, spacing, and length of the text as well as the repetition of words makes this book appropriate for early readers to enjoy independently. This would also be a great book to share during read-aloud.

Literary Devices: imagery

[Terry]

Who doesn't love kisses from their child? A nice poem, albeit a bit stilted. The first two lines of each 4-line stanza are identical which makes the rhyme a little boring. Our daughter loved it.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a Wintry Morning is a story in rhyme which captures the wonder and love between a father and child as they have fun in the snow. Simple, sparse text with beautiful watercolor illustrations.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because it is a Daddy taking care of a little girl. You could pin this and it would work very well for a baby/ toddler storytime.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presently, a most-requested title by my toddler. The rhythm of the text is so simple and the illustrations are pleasant, so I understand why.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps it helps to sing this story as I have. River loved it. The parent is a father, which seems quite rare in children's books. Good to see.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book about a father taking his baby daughter out on a winter's day.

[Kelly Thevenot · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a Wintry Morning is a loving story that describes a father-daughter relationship. It would be a great book for a father to read to his child.

[Michael Leitzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

was a pretty good poetry read book. It would be a great read for your class once winter starts. I enjoyed reading this book.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a very nice book, about a baby's first day in the snow, and had a poetic rhythm to it to keep attention to the book