Every autumn a bear shows up behind the farm, and goes through a series of routines before finding a den among the hilltop boulders where he sleeps all winter long.

After hearing about winter from his friends, Hedgie the hedgehog tries to stay awake to experience its wonders.

Taking nonfiction into the realm of bedtime read-to-me stories, this rich, melodic text paired with detailed color pencil illustrations describes how 13 North American animal species--such as black bear, ermine, pileated woodpecker, porcupine, river otter, and ruffed grouse--survive harsh winter snows snug inside their dens, nests, burrows, and lodges. Additional information, geared to very young children, includes animal winter survival adaptations,...