By Cyrisse Jaffee

Two new books and one reissued classic will teach, delight, and intrigue children.

Hugged by the Night by Harold Green III. Illustrated by Karabo Poppy. Chronicle Books, 2026.

Winter is Wonderful by Emma Dodd. Templar Books, 2025.

Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon. Illustrations by Henri Sørensen. Peachtree Publishing Company, 2006, 2025.

Hugged by the Night, illustrated in deep purples and blacks, is a splendid book. Not only is it, according to the author’s note, a “mythical story…meant to sooth a real-world problem,” it is—finally—a children’s story where nighttime and blackness do not symbolize evil or danger but beauty and joy.

When the sky changes “into her favorite color—black” at the end of the day, the animals “loved what they saw. The sky’s ebony color left them in awe.” In addition to their black color, each animal gains an important trait from the night sky. The jaguar becomes confident, the bird gains pride in itself, and the horse feels courageous.

The story is told simply and in rhyme, but it never feels trite or obvious. The gorgeous and almost velvety illustrations by Poppy, who lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, perfectly complement the text. Preschoolers will love how each animal is transformed by its gift and slightly older children will be fascinated by the pictures.

In his note, author Green explains that the animals represent the descendants of the Africa diaspora and “the discomfort that one can feel being far from home.” The sky, which represents Mother Africa, is portrayed as a “reassuring presence.” Her message is: “Be proud of your Blackness: may you embrace it may it never be used against you.” Green also emphasizes the importance of caring for one another and explains how the animals are uplifted by the sky’s gifts—just as people are when they feel “seen and protected.”

The author’s intentions do not interfere with the story itself, which stands on its own. It could be a wonderful lead-in to a discussion with even preschoolers about color, feelings, and may lead to an interesting dialogue with preschoolers and up about how we treat others.

Celebrating family time, feasting, and cozy nights, Winter is Wonderful, is a cheery love letter to the season. Although it may overstate its premise (“Winter is wonderful, the best time of year!/ A time to show love to those we hold dear…”), it features a sprightly red fox with two cute little cubs. These friendly characters will please the littlest readers. The family is shown playing in the snow (the shiny silver snowflakes are a nice touch), snoozing after a holiday feast, and snuggling up in their den.

This is a great choice for bedtime reading after a wintery adventure, a cup of hot chocolate, or a nice, warm bath. And, although it ignores the reality that some children’s families are not together or cannot afford a holiday feast, it seems hard-hearted to take this charming little book to task for not addressing those issues.

Based on a true story, Christmas in the Trenches, has been reissued with a new note by its author, singer-songwriter John McCutcheon. It is the astonishing story of a spontaneous “Christmas Truce” in 1914, as the horrendous fighting of World War I raged throughout Europe. The soldiers of the Allied forces (Belgium, France, Britain) were dug into trenches across from their enemy, Germany, also in trenches. The two armies were separated by a barren area which became known as No Man’s Land. The men were freezing cold, covered in dirt and mud, and afraid that the next moment might be their last.

Suddenly, the Germans began to sing a Christmas carol and the Allies responded with another song. Unbelievably, a white truce flag was raised. Slowly, the enemies emerged to greet one another, share treats, and even play a ball game. Somehow, they were able to relate to one another as human beings, none were feared or hated. By dawn, the men returned to their trenches as enemies once again, despite what they had all just experienced.

McCutcheon’s new note says, “War demands that our enemies be strangers…What can this story tell us more than a century later? Maybe it can help us begin to unlearn what we have been taught about people who are different from us…” He ends the note with: “Shalom, Salam, Frieden, Peace!”

Originally published in 2006, this book could hardly be more timely. It garnered many awards when it first came out, and remains a moving, well-told story, with wonderful, painterly illustrations by Henri Sørensen. (A historical note is also included.) Children in upper elementary school can appreciate the story without knowing much about the war, but it could also make an impact on older kids, in a school context or on their own. The message of the story of our shared humanity, despite our differences, is one that must be repeated over and over again – especially in today’s divisive times.

Cyrisse Jaffee is a former children’s and YA librarian, children’s book editor, and a creator of educational materials for WGBH. She holds a master’s degree in Library Science from Simmons College and lives in Newton, MA.