Book Review: Singing Away the Dark by Caroline Woodward and Julie Morstad (illustrator)

"Singing Away the Dark" is one of the most beautifully crafted picture books I have ever read.  It has such a timeless quality to it, it's hard to believe it was only just published in 2010, rather than being a long-time classic.



The story follows an imaginative six-year-old girl walking through the woods one winter morning to reach her school bus.  She overcomes many obstacles along the way - a barbed wire fence, a creepy forest, a bull munching hay and howling winds. But by singing to herself, she gains the courage she needs to overcome them.

As I grew up in the countryside, this book really resonated with me. The words and the illustrations perfectly captured the simple joys that exploring fields and forests can bring.  I felt like I was travelling back in time to a world I had almost forgotten about, and for that I am thankful for this book.

I give "Singing Away the Dark" 5 out of 5 footprints in the newly fallen snow.