Long Nights: Celebrating Winter Solstice

Title: The Longest Night
By: Marion Dane Bauer
Published: 2009

One very long night, a crow, a moose, and a fox all claim they can bring back the sun, but the wind knows that only one little creature has what is needed to end the darkness.

Ages 4-8.
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Title: The Shortest Day
By: Susan Cooper
Published: 2019

As the sun sets on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again.

Ages 5 - 9.
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Title: Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter
By: Eugenie Doyle
Published: 2016

It is December, and there are many things for the family to do around the farm to get it ready for winter.

Ages 3 - 5.
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Title: The First Day of Winter
By: Denise Fleming
Published: 2005

A snowman comes alive as the child building it adds pieces during the first ten days of winter.

Ages 3 - 6.
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Title: The Stolen Sun
By: Amanda Hall
Published: 2002

Native Alaskan folklore about Raven and his son, Little Darkness, who restored light to the world.

Ages 2 - 6.
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Title: The Origin of Day and Night
By: Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt
Published: 2018

Inuit tale of a hare and a fox that change the Arctic forever by creating day and night. In very early times, there was no night or day and words spoken by chance could become real. When a hare and a fox meet and express their longing for light and darkness, their words are too powerful to be denied. Passed orally from storyteller to storyteller for hundreds of years.

Ages 6 - 8.
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Title: A Coyote Solstice Tale
By: Thomas King
Published: 2009

Trickster Coyote is having his friends over for a festive solstice get-together in the woods when an unexpected guest arrives.

Ages 3 - 6.
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Title: While The Bear Sleeps: Winter Tales and Traditions
By: Caitlin Matthews
Published: 1999

A young girl travels through time with a bear as her guide in this glowing anthology of winter customs, including the Nativity, Christmas in Mexico City, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. She discovers the origins of winter tales and traditions from the first snowfall to the return of spring.

Ages 2 - 6.
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Title: Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest
By: Gerald McDermott
Published: 1993

Raven, the trickster, wants to give people the gift of light. But can he find out where Sky Chief keeps it? And if he does, will he be able to escape without being discovered? His dream seems impossible, but if anyone can find a way to bring light to the world, wise and clever Raven can!

Ages 4 - 7.
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Title: The Shortest Day: Celebrating The Winter Solstice
By: Wendy Pfeffer
Published: 2003

Describes how and why daylight grows shorter as winter approaches, the effect of shorter days on animals and people, and how the winter solstice has been celebrated throughout history. Includes activities.

Ages 6 - 9.
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Title: Winter Waits
By: Lynn Plourde
Published: 2001

Father Time's son, Winter, tries to get his busy father's attention.

Ages 5 - 6.
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Title: Lucia and The Light
By: Phyllis Root
Published: 2006

One winter in the Far North the sun disappears and Lucia, accompanied by her milk-white cat, braves the freezing cold and trolls who want to eat her, trying to find the sun and bring it back.

Ages 5 - 8.
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Title: What Is A Solstice?
By: Gail Terp
Published: 2017

Discusses the science behind solstices. What makes the seasons? What is a winter solstice? What is a summer solstice?

Ages 5 - 8.
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Title: Snow Party
By: Harriet Ziefert
Published: 2008

When the first snow of the year falls on the first day of winter, all the snow people have a snow party.

Ages 4 - 8.
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Title: Nature Cat: Winter Dance Party [DVD]
By: PBS Distribution
Published: 2018

It's the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year! Daisy's family loves to celebrate the return of longer days with a winter solstice dance party, but there's one slight problem - she forgot to prepare for the party! With too much to do and not enough time to finish, will Daisy get ready in time?

JUV DVD Nature

Title: The Reasons For The Seasons [Streaming Video]
By: Gail Gibbons [Dreamscape Media, LLC]
Published: 2015

Why is there winter in the Southern Hemisphere at the same time there is summer in the Northern Hemisphere? Here is an explanation of how the position of Earth in relation to the sun causes seasons, and the wonders that come with each one of them. Summer. Autumn. Winter. Spring comes again. Year after year, the seasons repeat themselves.

This is a streaming video available via Hoopla.
Ages 4 - 8.

Title: The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice [Music CD]
By: George Emlen, director ; with Maggi Peirce, David Jones, John Langstaff, David Coffin, The Revels Chorus, The Children's Waits, The Cambridge and Symphonic Brass Ensemble.
Published: 1999

The Victorian Revels is always an audience favorite, displaying the Dickensian merriment from which so much of our modern Christmas originates.

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[Songbook also available in Printed Music: M781.723 Christm]