Moon Song by Michaela Goade (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 4-8). In this companion to Berry Song, the Tlingit family that gathered berries in the summer enjoys winter on their island. After scouting for deer and fishing for salmon in the dusky daytime, they gather for a cozy evening at home. The narrator helps her cousin overcome his fear of the dark by telling him a bedtime story about two children following the light of the moon. They walk through the dark forest, follow the edge of the sea, and finally come to a place where they see the magic of the aurora borealis, shown in a spectacular gatefold illustration. The last page shows the two cousins back home, settling in to go to sleep. Includes a note from the author about winters in her Tlingit community and some of her thoughts about winter, darkness, and light that inspired this book.

As always, Michaela Goade weaves together a lyrical story that includes Tlingit words and beautiful illustrations, just right for celebrating the winter. Definitely worth some Caldecott consideration.

Across the Ice: How We Saved the Ojibwe Horse by Darcy Whitecrow and Heather M. O’Connor, illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Candlewick, 32 pages, ages 4-8). The two children narrating the story are too excited to sleep, so Nookomis (Grandmother) tells the story of the wild ponies tamed by the Ojibwe to help them with their work. In the summer, they set them free again to breed and roam the land. By the time Nookomis was born, though, there were only four ponies left, and all four were mares. A man from Minnesota named Fred Isham offered them a place to stay on his farm, and when Lac La Croix froze, the ponies were transported from Canada to the U.S., where they were bred, and a new herd started. On the night of the story, the whole family is waiting for six horses to be returned so they can start their own herd. Nookomis finishes her tale as the horses arrive, and the family goes out to welcome them. Includes an afterword with additional information about the Ojibwe horses.

A fascinating story told with beautiful illustrations that capture the colors and lights of the different seasons. Anyone interested in horses or Indigenous North American history will want to take a look at this book.