Review: Shelter by Celine Claire

In today's world, we are taught to fear the unknown. We are weary of strangers and stingy with our possessions. We distrust those who are different from us and let our ignorance keep us from seeing the similarities we share. In times like these, it's comforting to know there are books out there like Celine Claire's Shelter.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is reminiscent of "The Little Red Hen." It teaches readers that by helping others, we are also helping ourselves. Set in the forest, this story shows various animal families as they prepare for an incoming blizzard. Birds, foxes, hogs, and rabbits work together to gather food and firewood so they can outlast the storm. While the storm is raging, two mysterious strangers appear and ask each animal family for help. One by one, they are turned away.  The only animal to show the strangers any kindness is a young fox. When disaster threatens the fox family, they are able to rely on the strangers to help them in return.

The illustrations in Shelter are done with pen, ink, and watercolor by Qin Leng. With soft colors and adorable anthropomorphic animals, children of all ages will enjoy the pictures that accompany the story. As an adult reader, I found the illustrations to be very whimsical. They left me with a strong feeling of nostalgia for certain books of my childhood, such as A.A. Milne's Winne the Pooh.

There is great value in the message of this book.  As a teacher, I can see it being used to teach lessons about kindness, acceptance, and friendship.  Shelter was a joy to read and would be a worthy addition to your home or classroom library.

My Rating:★★★★★

*Thank you to Kids Can Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!