Pfeffer claimed that astronomers had workers build a building so the suns rays would shine through a key opening on the shortest day, so people would know when it was over. This book then described how different cultures reacted due to changes in the day. December 21st is the winter solstice or the first day of winter. Show More has the fewest hours of daylight.

I'd still recommend The Shortest Day, because despite its flaws - which are owing more to inadequate, rather than incorrect information - it is one of only a few children's books devoted to the Winter Solstice, and includes a number of activities that look both fun and informative, but only with the caveat that educators and parents might want to do a little research, and have a more complete understanding of some of the information presented here. It's been a while since I've read Pfeffer's other seasonal titles, but I don't recall having the same objections to either of her equinox books (I've yet to read her Summer Solstice one). One thousand years ago, Christianity was well on its way to being firmly established in both countries, and while scholars continue to debate issues of pagan cultural survival, Pfeffer's brief comment about what Druids were doing '1000 years ago' could create a very misleading impression in young readers' minds. The passage on the Druids of England and Ireland, while not necessarily untrue, felt rather confused/confusing to me.

Meath - that were built around the Winter Solstice, and seem to indicate religious ideas connected to this point in the calendar. Lucia's Day named, when the Incan festival (Inti Raymi, I assume) is not? Could it be because Inti Raymi occurs in June, and this would point to the inverse nature of the solstices, in the southern hemisphere? No mention was made, to my great disappointment, of some of the astonishing neolithic tombs - chief amongst them, Newgrange, in Ireland's Co. I know that it is intended for younger children, but the text felt a little too simplistic to me, particularly as it concerned the cultural celebrations connected to this time of year. I found The Shortest Day to be a rather frustrating book, in some ways, and only awarded it three stars because there are so few children's titles devoted to the Winter Solstice, making it, despite its flaws, an important resource.

Lucia's Day is mentioned, as is the Incan festival to honor the sun. The simple text touches upon the coming of winter, and how this is connected to the earth's tilted axis, as it orbits the sun, before moving on to the perception of this time of year, and its celebration, in ancient China, classical Rome, and medieval Europe. Show More to the question of what the solstice is, astronomically speaking, before discussing some of the cultural observations and customs, from around the world, that accompany it.

The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer