A story of friendship and faith.

Varenka lives contently in her cottage in the woods, until passersby warn her that war has broken out. Pack up a bundle and come along with us. But Varenka can’t leave. 

Who will care for the children who wander and get lost in the forest? Who will shelter the animals and feed the birds when winter comes? 

Soon, Varenka shelters a young artist, an old farmer and his goat, and a lost child. And each night she prays for a wall to be built around her house to protect her from the soldiers who draw nearer with each passing day. Things seem dire until Varenka notices a gentle sound all around the house. Snow. Could it be enough to save them? 

This is a Bernadette Watts classic with its timeless message of courage, compassion, and faith.

“A master in choosing a palette.”—Eric Carle 

STARRED REVIEW "The resemblance to current-day displacement due to war is hauntingly similar... the Byzantine-like faces are beautifully crafted in soft pastel colors, while Watts’s writing follows traditional folktale cadence.
– School Library Journal