In a battle between the blustering north wind and the warm shining sun, who do you think would win? Would anyone win? In this Aesop's fable, re-imagined by author/illustrator Philip Stead, three sisters go out in their patched-up coats—colored yellow, blue, and red—to take a walk before the weather changes. At first, the sun shines sweetly upon them, but then the grouchy north wind takes over, blowing cold, harsh air across the sisters' path and the whole world! Will the north wind manage to turn the sisters' coats to rags after all? Or will the sun's rays prevail?
The way this story's swooping emotions give way to a friendly, cozy ending makes this a perfect read to end the day with, as do the beautiful pictures. Stead has used block crayons (a favorite of mine!) and colored pencil to illustrate this updated fable, and in doing so, he has created a book that both kids who love an interesting, colorful story and aesthetically-minded grown-ups will thoroughly enjoy.
--reviewed by Annie A.