Arctic White

In the wake of last weekend's blizzard, I'd like to share a story that reflects all the snow everywhere. Arctic White by Danna Smith and illustrated by Lee White is the perfect picture book when days grow dark very early and color seems far away.

A young girl living north of the Arctic circle, followed around by a little husky dog, notices that everything is a shade of white:

Sometimes, when you wish on a star for more color,

you only get gray.

And gray is still a shade of white.

Here, winter days are dark as night.

As time passes, you wonder:

Where did all the color go?

Did the wind blow it away?

The girl is bundled up against the cold, yet she finds joy in sticking out her tongue to catch the snowflakes. Her grandfather is the one who helps her discover where the color hides even in in the dark days of winter.

Did you know that people who live closer to the Arctic circle, those who maybe have an hour or two of sunlight a day in the winter, show higher levels of happiness?

This book illustrates that positive mindset during the winter months, of hygge (pronounced hooga), which is a word not simply meaning cosiness, but of enjoying togetherness.

An interior illustration from Arctic White that demonstrates "hygge." 

Together, the young girl, her grandfather, and a group of friends journey across the snow to discover the bright colors in their world. Danna Smith's words are poetic and lyrical, and Lee White's magical illustrations appear to have fallen on the page in snow flurries. I hope that Artic White will help you and your family spend time together this winter.