Discover the wonder that wildlife brings to a small woodland farm in this lyrical cumulative picture book with stunning scratchboard illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes.
This is the hedge that grew and grew.
The wall of stone a bit askew.
This is the gap where the deer slip through,
when the sky is still more pink than blue…
Throughout the course of a beautiful summer day, from sunrise to moonrise, a host of animals find their way through a gap in the hedge, bringing the farm to life.
Written by Katey Howes
Illustrated by Beth Krommes
Published by Beach Lane Books (June 3, 2025)
ISBN: 978-1665918275
Praise for Where the Deer Slip Through
“This is the hedge that grew and grew./ The wall of stone a bit askew./ They guard the yard./ The barn does, too.” Gracefully rhythmic verse from late creator Howes (The Reindeer Remainders) celebrates the in-between places through which animals steal. Striking scratchboard spreads show a farm surrounded by rolling hills and dense woods as Caldecott Medalist Krommes uses her signature medium—fine, meticulously etched lines tinged with watercolor against black backgrounds—to create atmospheric illustrations that pulse with dramatic contrast. A dawn spread shows a space where the stone wall has crumbled, creating a gap “where the deer slip through,/ when the sky is still more pink than blue.” A doe and two fawns venture into the garden before retreating, and other secret places (“the hollow the rabbits squeeze through” and “the crack where the lizards creep through”) join the first in building cumulative verses. At nightfall, the lines slow to a sigh, falling silent as humans and deer doze in this lilting hymn to the way woodland life can lurk in surprising places. Human characters are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Essie White, Storm Literary.(June)
Over the course of a day, various animals enter a farmyard and enjoy its manifold offerings.
Arriving as the pink clouds replace the stars, the deer enter through openings in the hedges and stone wall: “Nibble and nudge / and startle and dash / away off into the pines.” The text follows similar patterns as other creatures emerge from cracks and crevices to play or eat within the farm’s enclosure. Rabbits “tumble and twitch.” Doves “flurry and flap.” Howes’ lilting rhythm and rhymes flow effortlessly—a worthy accompaniment to Krommes’ signature scratchboard and watercolor compositions, filled with texture and teeming with details not mentioned in the text: flitting bees and butterflies, nesting birds, and a busy, light-skinned family of three doing chores (and, in the case of the child, sometimes imitating the animals). As the sky darkens again and bats appear, listeners are invited into the youngster’s room: “And this is the curtain that nighttime drew / between two days—the old and new.” The rich language and striking images encourage multiple readings, while the soothing, cumulative cadence creates a lovely bedtime experience. Sensitive children will soon absorb the alliterative text, possibly repeating it in real-life moments.
A visual and auditory delight. (Picture book. 3-6)