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Grandmother Winter
Grandmother Winter lives all alone with her snow-white flock of geese. All through the spring, summer, and fall, Grandmother Winter tends her geese and gathers their feathers. Why? To bring snowfall as soft as feathers and bright as a winter moon. To the woodland and all of its creatures, the arrival of winter is a gift.
32 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 1999
6 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Root
107 books71 followers"Picture books are performances," says Phyllis Root, quoting some sage advice she once received. "They're performances that involve a child--something both of you do. And once I started thinking of them that way, I started getting much looser about making up words and playing around with rhythm."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 2, 2010
A very special story that is like a love letter to winter. Based on a folktale, this story tells of "Grandmother Winter" who makes a down quilt throughout the year (thanks to her special geese) and then shakes it over the world to bring in the winter snows. Despite the whimsy in premise, there is also some good science here as we get glimpses into how various creatures survive the winter by going underground, etc. The illustrations really stole the show for me--scratchboard illustrations tinted with watercolors that have an old-fashioned charm while being completely vibrant and compelling. Thanks to Chandra and Abigail for bringing this to my attention!
January 3, 2022
Inspired by the old legend of Mother Holle, a Norse deity who has survived in the folklore of central Germany, and whose story was recorded as Frau Holle in the Kinder- und Hausmärchen of the Brothers Grimm, Grandmother Winter follows its titular character as she herds her flock of geese in spring, collects their feathers in summer, creates a feather-quilt in autumn, and shakes the quilt to bring snow in winter.
Phyllis Root's gentle narrative evokes the beauty and wonder of the natural world, exploring the passing of the seasons and the changing activities of humans and animals throughout the year. Beth Krommes - who won the 2009 Caldecott Medal for The House in the Night - made her picture-book debut here, and her gorgeous scratchboard illustrations, tinted with watercolors, have all the power and magic of true folk-art. Altogether, a lovely little book - perfect for reading on a cold winter's day!
Phyllis Root's gentle narrative evokes the beauty and wonder of the natural world, exploring the passing of the seasons and the changing activities of humans and animals throughout the year. Beth Krommes - who won the 2009 Caldecott Medal for The House in the Night - made her picture-book debut here, and her gorgeous scratchboard illustrations, tinted with watercolors, have all the power and magic of true folk-art. Altogether, a lovely little book - perfect for reading on a cold winter's day!
February 20, 2017
I was infatuated with the title and cover illustration of the book for I am fairytale fan while this book remind me of the one of the woman at the bottom of the well. With this thought in mind I chose to dive into the book and get to learn what was really behind the cover.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't a fairytale variation although still holding the old woman and her flock of geese as is implied by that same telling. Instead from there the story gives a quick chronological timeframe for the old woman and how the seasons influence her actions before giving away the meaning of her quilt blanket.
From there the book was a total surprise as the reader is taken on a nature adventure in which they are given a chance to see how the humans and animals respond to the season of winter. It is adorable, quick and simple to understand for the youngest of readers who may enjoy the touch of fantasy that is given in the book itself.
And the illustrations are definitely the best treasure the book has to offer in keeping with a simplistic blockish nature while at the same time maintaining to the traditional nature of the telling. I cannot think of a page where I didn't enjoy the details, the presentation or the beauty of the work that was given to me.
This is truly one of those nice and simple reads to include in one's library if they would like a fantasy book that weaves with the magic of the real world. A quick and beautiful read it is a reminder for one to be grounded in the world around them while still enjoying its beauty even in the coldest of months.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't a fairytale variation although still holding the old woman and her flock of geese as is implied by that same telling. Instead from there the story gives a quick chronological timeframe for the old woman and how the seasons influence her actions before giving away the meaning of her quilt blanket.
From there the book was a total surprise as the reader is taken on a nature adventure in which they are given a chance to see how the humans and animals respond to the season of winter. It is adorable, quick and simple to understand for the youngest of readers who may enjoy the touch of fantasy that is given in the book itself.
And the illustrations are definitely the best treasure the book has to offer in keeping with a simplistic blockish nature while at the same time maintaining to the traditional nature of the telling. I cannot think of a page where I didn't enjoy the details, the presentation or the beauty of the work that was given to me.
This is truly one of those nice and simple reads to include in one's library if they would like a fantasy book that weaves with the magic of the real world. A quick and beautiful read it is a reminder for one to be grounded in the world around them while still enjoying its beauty even in the coldest of months.
February 21, 2020
Beautiful scratchboard illustrations, hand-tinted with watercolors. An original story that has a folktale feel to it, as it explains where snow comes from.
August 26, 2010
I wanted to track down more of Beth Krommes after seeing her Caldecott-winning picture book, The House in the Night. Here her scratchboard illustrations are in a calm, muted palette. Phyllis Root's story is a folktale about a grandmother who gathers goose feathers to stuff in a quilt, which she then shakes over the landscape to make snowflakes fall. The text and pictures are nicely matched in tone.
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July 29, 2016My girls were confused by this story until I explained the concept of Grandmother Winter. Then we read it again and they could enjoy it. Gorgeous illustrations.
April 15, 2024
I received this for my birthday from my kindergarten teacher and have loved it since childhood. I have a winter birthday and have always struggled with the wintertime blues. This book made it seem like winter wasn't so bad. It is a very calming book, excellent for a bedtime read. The illustrations are in a old fashioned folk style that is very pretty.
January 25, 2020
This is such a beautiful, quiet, seasonal picture book. The illustrations are delightfully folksy and the personification of winter as a cozy, quilt-making crone is right up my alley. If I had children (or were a children's librarian), this would be a mainstay of my winter storytimes.
February 8, 2020
This was a really sweet re-telling of an old folktale. I feel like this would be a perfect bedtime story! The illustrations were a perfect accompaniment showing all the little creatures tucking in for the winter as the kids play in the new snow.
January 8, 2014
My five year old let me read it to him at least twice so far, and I loved it, thus the five stars. Like Big Mama Makes the World this has the feel of a folk tale or myth, even though it's not part of a tradition... The theme is how the (Northern North American) world settles down for winter, with the implied but not stated idea that when Grandmother Winter shakes her feather quilt it begins to snow. So it would be useful for seasonal units in schools, mythic/origin tales in schools, or for Neopagan parents, but I'd reassure mainstream parents it's not actually Neopagan or even new age.
I found that my child found the text soothing, and we both enjoyed identifying the various cuddled-in animals, such as turtles, frogs, bears, mice, in the story and the illustrations. In fact, my son after so many hibernation/winter books turned to me on the page with the painted turtle and echoed, "If I were a painted turtle, I'd sleep in the mud beneath the pond!" with obvious relish. To me, that kind of response gives the imprimatur of success to a book.
The illustrations are rounded, folktale/Tomi de Paola like, but the animals are also very clearly non-fantastical.(Mind you, we may want to remind our kids that farm geese do NOT sleep the winter away or hibernate.)
I found that my child found the text soothing, and we both enjoyed identifying the various cuddled-in animals, such as turtles, frogs, bears, mice, in the story and the illustrations. In fact, my son after so many hibernation/winter books turned to me on the page with the painted turtle and echoed, "If I were a painted turtle, I'd sleep in the mud beneath the pond!" with obvious relish. To me, that kind of response gives the imprimatur of success to a book.
The illustrations are rounded, folktale/Tomi de Paola like, but the animals are also very clearly non-fantastical.(Mind you, we may want to remind our kids that farm geese do NOT sleep the winter away or hibernate.)
December 3, 2013
Grandmother Winter is a sweet story about "Grandmother Winter" and how she collects feathers from her flock of geese to create snow in the winter. She spends fall, spring and summer collecting the feathers to make it snow as soon as the winter comes around. The feathers are a great metaphor for the reader and it adds an interesting aspect to the story. The story was somewhat simple and straight-forward. This book had beautiful illustrations throughout it. Beth Krommes used the scratchboard technique to create the illustrations on each page. They are incredibly detailed and interesting to look at. The illustrations not only reinforce the text, but they add to it and cause the reader to use their imagination to expand beyond the text. Beth Krommes is an amazing illustrator and this is one of my favorite books of hers that I have read!
February 3, 2020
This is a nice story about Grandmother Winter. But what really caught my eye were the gorgeous illustrations, created with scratchboard and watercolors.
Our girls love to create designs on scratchboard, so I was thrilled to be able to show them what can be done with this medium. It is so old-fashioned looking and the pictures are fun to look at. We especially loved the pictures of the turtles and frogs hibernating.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the February 2020: Celebrating Phyllis Root discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads.
Our girls love to create designs on scratchboard, so I was thrilled to be able to show them what can be done with this medium. It is so old-fashioned looking and the pictures are fun to look at. We especially loved the pictures of the turtles and frogs hibernating.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the February 2020: Celebrating Phyllis Root discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads.
December 23, 2015
I grabbed this book from the library because I was instantly drawn to the illustration on the cover. Much to my delight, the entire book is just as beautiful. Root's story is a wonderful retelling of a folktale about how winter comes each year. Grandmother Winter makes a quilt from fallen goose feathers. When she shakes the quilt, the feathers turn to snow, covering the world in a layer of white. Root's prose is as lovely as the illustrations by Beth Krommes. I plan to read this at least a few more times before we have to return it to the library.
February 2, 2010
The story was so-so, and while I did like the seasonal journey, and the metaphor Grandmother herself (reminded me of Z. Budapest's Grandmother of Time), the part that really grabbed me was the art. Amazing scratchboard illustrations (how is this related to woodcut/lino/block printing? must. do. research!) that I think were colored in later, possibly with watercolor. Way awesome. I could dive into those negative-space-created trees for hours. And I think I will.
March 23, 2014
What an incredibly gorgeous book! Even in the Year of the Forever Winter.
The story itself was very good: A lilting, gently-told folk tale. There were a few places were I wanted to rearrange the words to flow a bit better, but overall, very good writing.
The illustrations, however, could not possibly be improved. Phenomenal and exquisite might not be high enough praise. I NEED to find more works by this artist/illustrator.
The story itself was very good: A lilting, gently-told folk tale. There were a few places were I wanted to rearrange the words to flow a bit better, but overall, very good writing.
The illustrations, however, could not possibly be improved. Phenomenal and exquisite might not be high enough praise. I NEED to find more works by this artist/illustrator.
December 20, 2008
Wonderful scratchboard illustrations support this charming Winter tale. It reminds us of one of the stories in Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions, which involves a visit to Grandmother Winter.
January 10, 2018
Years of reading this book and I still enjoy its story (Grandmother Winter shakes her quilt and it snows) and pictures (like woodcuttings, depicting people in their cabins and animals hibernating for winter).
May 4, 2013
This is a great book, full of metaphor, about where winter comes from. The writing in this book could be used in so many ways as strong examples of an abundance of different things. Possibly my favorite Phyllis Root book, and that's a tough call with her books.
May 16, 2014
Grandmother winter collects feathers from her flock of geese all spring and spends summer gardening before working on her feather quilt in fall. When she shakes it out to settle down to sleep in the winter you can guess what happens.
October 9, 2017
Illustrations look like wood carvings.
A story of how Grandmother Winter collects feathers from her geese to stuff a quilt (???) and then shakes the quilt to cover the earth with snow. Talks about how various animals and people react to the snow.
A story of how Grandmother Winter collects feathers from her geese to stuff a quilt (???) and then shakes the quilt to cover the earth with snow. Talks about how various animals and people react to the snow.
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February 8, 2020The appeal of this is dependent on how much one likes the illustration style. They're well done, but I do not like them, sorry. Well, and the scientist in me is having trouble mixing science and myth.
January 30, 2009
LOVE the woodcuts.
February 6, 2009
Magical illustrations, leads to fun discussion about winter.
December 17, 2009
I really love this story about winter. I can just imagine the goose feathers being collected through the year. ;)
January 29, 2010
What a beautiful book. You don't even need to read it to enjoy it. A nice book to read when it's chilly outside.
July 26, 2010
A look at the change of seasons through a bit of a pagan eye. A magical and poetic take on the coming of winter each year.
February 5, 2012
Having heard a form of snowflake refered to as goose feathers, this story had a certain charm about it, The scratchboard illustrations which indicated a folk art style were pleasing,
October 31, 2011
Interesting take on how Grandma Winter brings the new season.
February 3, 2012
A beautiful and mystical look at winter.
December 31, 2012
Considered for story time, a little too advanced for the age group. Love the illustrations though!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews