Though I did not cry reading King Winter’s Birthday by Jonathan Freedland and Emily Sutton (illustrator), I did get emotional. It is a bittersweet story of loss and in the end, hope. The illustrations are lovely and though I do give it a five rating, there were a few odd flows to the text in a few places, otherwise it was perfect.
The story is about how a brother (King Winter) wants to spend the special occasion of his birthday with his siblings, King Summer, Queen Spring and Queen Fall. However, when all the seasons get together, no matter how much fun they are having, the natural course of things are really knocked out of the park and not in a fun or good way! Included is a diverse presentation of characters on boldly colorful images that are medium detailed. They can be busy yet, the images support the story and do not take over. They are energetic, without being too “buzzing around.” 
Currently available, I read via an online reader copy that was hiding in my reader copy folder in my emails. But I recommend going out and finding this book if you are looking for something that goes beyond the basic story. If you read the author afterwards about the original story of Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz’s (and I highly recommend you doing so, though it might not be for all listeners or younger, sensitive readers) you will see how the story is deeper. It is about loss of freedom, being with loved ones and the Holocaust. Boschwitz’s story was never published, and his life was cut terribly short, but we can enjoy his spirit in the pages Freedland and Sutton have given us.
