Review: The Wall Street Journal
"Playful . . . Claudia McGehees scratchboard illustrations--similar in style to woodcuts--emphasize contrasts of light and texture: between snow and soil, fox and field, bird and birch tree."
The Horn Book Magazine
"Atmospheric . . . [an] inviting book well-suited for a read-aloud."
Booklist
"Spare, nuanced poems--elegantly complete in just four to five lines--celebrate the vitality of this world of chilled beauty. . . . Both bold and intricate, dramatic illustrations magnificently enhance the poetry. . . . [a] splendid celebration of a wild winter world."
School Library Journal
"A visual treat that cheerfully celebrates winter through lyrical facts found in the natural world, while incidentally also being a counting book. A worthy purchase."
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Its a counting book. Its a winter animal book. Its a just plain beautiful book! . . . Though weather and color palettes may change from page to page as the book counts to 12, the one thing that remains the same is the sense of awe readers will feel observing these animals in their native Alaskan environments. . . . Carlstroms writing deftly sets this title apart from other counting books. . . . A little scratchboard, a little watercolor, and voila! The prettiest nondenominational winter book seen in ages."