A Winter Journey - Softcover

Gr 1-4 Combining the talents of first-time children's author Updike and the adept skill of veteran artist Parker, A Winter's Journey begins as a typical tale of a boy and his dog, develops into a thrilling adventure and finishes as fantastic fiction reminiscent of Van Allsburg's Garden of Abdul Gasazi (Houghton, 1979). As Homer and Sophocles, his dog, return home from town, the snow begins to fall at such a pace that their footsteps are buried behind them. Before dinner, Sophocles disappears and Homer worries about him until he can sneak out of bed and search for his missing friend. Homer enters a distorted snow-covered world filled with strange sights, unusual sounds and peculiar people. As fear overtakes him, Homer slips while running from a monstrous plow but hears Sophocles telling him to climb on his back. The two soar above the snow, land safely at home and wake up warm and safe in the morning. Updike is a master of words in describing both action and mood, and he is ably complemented by Parker, who is a master of wordless description. A spellbinding tale. Cathy Woodward, Lima City Schools, Ohio

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