I recently found all my old Brambly Hedge books and decided to re-read them. I am happy to report that the stores are just as good and the illustrations are just as gorgeous as I remembered them being. I think these are stories young and old alike can enjoy and the beautiful pictures will definitely be of interest to all ages. ( )

I'm a winter baby who grew up in the Midwest, so a snow ball or winter party has always been appealing. This story hits all the right spots, from mischievous boys to sumptuous meals, to gorgeous decor. ( )

Match found in the German National Library.

Really? So sexist, and old-fashioned but not historically relevant. I don't understand the appeal. If one has good eyesight and likes the cozy look of the illustrations I suppose it's not a horrible book, but it's certainly not necessary. ( )

When the residents of Brambly Hedge - a community of woodland mice all living together in a small settlement on the other side of the stream, across the field... amongst the tangled roots and stems" - wake up one winter morning and find their world has been blanketed in fresh snow, they respond in their usual fashion: by working, and then celebrating as a group. Digging tunnels to connect all the residences of the hedge with one another, and with the Store Stump, they decide to honor the traditions of the ancestors, and hold a Snow Ball...

The last of Jill Barklem's initial four Brambly Hedge books, which were all published in 1980, and chronicle this cozy murine society through the seasons of the year - there have also been subsequent non-seasonal titles - Winter Story is every bit as delightful as its predecessors! The story itself is engaging - a ball inside a hollowed out snow drift! - and the illustrations adorable! There aren't as many cross-section views in this one, as in some of the others, but the image of the icicle-decorated ballroom more than makes up for it! Recommended, together with its companions - Spring Story, Summer Story and Autumn Story - to young readers who enjoy animal fantasy. ( )