My Winter City

A boy, his father and their dog have a perfect day in a snowy city, illustrated by Governor General's Literary Award winner Gary Clement.

A young boy wakes up in the early light of a winter morning, pulls on his boots and mittens, and steps out into the snowy city with his dad. They trudge through the snow, their dog bounding along beside them, then a slushy, steamy bus ride takes them to the tobogganing hill for some winter fun. The boy describes all the sights and sounds of the day, from the frost in Dad's beard and the snow "pillows" in the park, to the noisy clunking snow plows and the singing buskers they pass on their way home. That night, the boy lies awake under cozy covers, reflecting on the day, as snow blankets the world outside his window.

This is winter in the city.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

JAMES GLADSTONE is an editor and author of books for children. He has also written the highly acclaimed picture book When Planet Earth Was New, illustrated by Katherine Diemert, and, most recently, Turtle Pond, illustrated by Karen Reczuch. James lives in Toronto.

GARY CLEMENT is an award-winning author and illustrator. He won the Governor General's Literary Award for his illustrations in The Great Poochini, and he was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for his illustrations in Oy, Feh, So by Cary Fagan and Just Stay Put. He is the editorial cartoonist for the National Post, and his work has appeared in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Gary lives in Toronto, where he regularly exhibits his drawings and paintings.