{"product_id":"on-the-shortest-day-9781681341699","title":"On the Shortest Day","description":"In late December, snow blankets the landscape and the daylight hours are brief. Bundled up against the cold, a child and an adult explore the \u003cem\u003eslough\u003c\/em\u003e, a marshy area along the river where many animals live, hunt, and play. The scene is quiet, yet alive with activity--if you know where to look.\u003cbr\u003e The child seeks to solve a mystery: \u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eI search for you\u003cbr\u003e as the sunlight fades\u003cbr\u003e in the silent slough\u003cbr\u003e on the shortest day.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Readers also tiptoe, scramble, and whisper. What will we discover along the way?\u003cbr\u003e As child and grandparent hike through the woods and along streams, they encounter deer and eagles. They find mounds and lodges, homes for muskrats and beavers. They are watched by cottontail rabbits, red foxes, and snowy owls. These animals and many more survive and even thrive during winter's deepest chill.\u003cbr\u003e Poetic storytelling evokes the crisp air, the sparkling snow, and the seasonal calm, while vibrant illustrations teem with wild creatures and dazzle with the bright hues of sunset on snowy landscapes. \u003cbr\u003e At last, the solstice arrives. The shortest day becomes the longest night, promising the joys of more winter activities and, before too long, the wonders of spring.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFredrickson, Laura Sulentich:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Educator and writer \u003cstrong\u003eLaura Sulentich Fredrickson\u003c\/strong\u003e has lived on a slough in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCaple, Laurie:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Children's book illustrator and natural history artist \u003cstrong\u003eLaurie Caple\u003c\/strong\u003e has created artwork for more than twenty books.","brand":"Minnesota Historical Society Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50627601105170,"sku":"9781681341699","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_672b66c6-3262-450c-8be2-b8fbc425ee72.jpg?v=1732677897","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/on-the-shortest-day-9781681341699","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}