The Tough Winter

A bleaker book than its predecessor, "The Tough Winter" finds the Good Folks of "Rabbit Hill" about to head south to the Bluegrass for the coming winter. At first the Small Animals of the Hill aren't too worried; they at least have warning and can stockpile. But curmudgeonly Uncle Analdas Rabbit is sure this will be a "tough winter," and he turns out to be far too right. The Caretakers hired to look after the Big House are slovenly and unpleasant, the weather is cold and the snow deep, and slowly, as the endless weeks grind by, more and more of the animals must abandon the Hill in search of food or to get away from the Caretakers' brutish dog. At last only Little Georgie, Willie Fieldmouse, and Father Rabbit (who has fallen ill) remain awake and about (though Phewie Skunk and old Porky the Groundhog are happily hibernating in the latter's burrow). Even Uncle Analdas, as tough an old Rabbit as ever made a stringy stew, has inexplicably vanished (what his family doesn't know is that he has resolved to follow the Folks to the Bluegrass Country and bring them home to save the day). There are moments of rare beauty, such as the Hill-wide reunion on Christmas-eve night; humor, as when Phewie is recruited to "skunk" the marauding Dog; and above all a heart-clutchingly authentic picture of what the wild things must endure. Though perhaps not a book for the most tender-hearted young animal lovers, it does tell a story of undaunted hope and courage, and in the end the Folks return and all is well again. A classic tale of animal heroism in the face of everyday challenges.

When Uncle Analdas, the old, old rabbit, predicted that a tough winter was coming, all the Hill animals said he was just getting old and gloomy. But as usual, Uncle Analdas was right. Thanksgiving brought ice, a major food shortage, and the beginning of a hard season. And then, when the Folks went away to Bluegrasss country for the winter, and left a neglectful caretaker and a mean dog in charge, every dweller on the Hill knew that Uncle Analdas' prophcey was coming true in more than one way! The story of how the various animals survive the winter...is well-written, and compliments Lawson's illustrations well. A great followup to Rabbit Hill, and a good prequel to Edward, Hoppy and Joe :-)

Fans of Robert Lawson's intricate, humorous children's book illustrations (Ferdinand, Adam of the Road) should know that he wrote as well. And boy, could he write! The Tough Winter was first published in the fifties, but it's still fresh as paint. The Hill is a small collection of homesteads in rural Connecticut but through Little Georgie the rabbit's eyes, it's a huge country, with dangerous obstacles (dogs)and delightful neighbors. Lawson fills almost every page with amusing drawings. The plot gets down to business immediately. The text is timeless; we're reading it to both our youngest and our jaded oldest children. It's a great read-aloud book. Fans should keep their eyes open for the other in this series, "Rabbit Hill", equally good.