In the Grip of Winter facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Colin Dann |
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| Illustrator | Terry Riley |
| Cover artist | Frances Broomfield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Animals of Farthing Wood |
| Genre | Children's, Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Hutchinson |
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Publication date
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1981 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 168 (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 0-09-146340-8 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 16563536 |
| Preceded by | The Animals of Farthing Wood |
| Followed by | Fox's Feud |
In the Grip of Winter is the second book in The Animals of Farthing Wood series by Colin Dann. It was first published in 1981. This story continues the adventures of the animals from Farthing Wood as they face a very difficult winter in White Deer Park.
Contents
Surviving a Harsh Winter
As winter arrives, some animals like Toad, Adder, and the hedgehogs go to sleep for the season (hibernate). The other animals get ready for the cold. But this winter is very tough. Many small animals like field mice and voles don't survive. It's also hard for everyone to find enough food.
Help from Friends
Luckily, some friends help out. Whistler the owl and his mate bring fish for Fox, Vixen, Weasel, and Badger. The Great White Stag, a wise deer, finds hay for the rabbits, hares, and the few remaining field mice and voles.
Badger's Journey
Badger decides to look for other animals in White Deer Park. He wants to learn how they deal with the extreme cold. On his trip, Badger meets a stoat who tells him that many animals might not survive this winter. Badger then tries to find the Great White Stag but falls and hurts his leg.
Badger Meets the Warden
The park Warden finds injured Badger and takes care of him in his cottage. While there, Badger convinces the Warden's cat, Ginger, to send a message to his friends. Ginger finds Mole and tells him Badger is safe. However, Kestrel misunderstands and attacks Ginger. Fox and Vixen help Ginger, but the cat leaves to go home quickly.
A Misunderstanding
When Badger is well, he leaves the Warden's cottage. He tries to convince his friends that living with the Warden is the safest way to survive. But his friends don't agree. Feeling silly, Badger returns to the Warden's cottage alone. The Warden doesn't let him back in. Ginger explains that the Warden only helped Badger because he was hurt. Now that Badger is well, he should live in nature.
Badger's Return
Badger feels foolish but understands. On his way back to his friends, he saves Kestrel from Ginger, who wants revenge for the earlier attack. Once Badger returns, the animals decide to look for food near human houses.
Finding Food and Facing Dangers
While searching for food, the animals see two other foxes trying to steal chickens. The farmer chases them away with loud noises. Sadly, those two foxes don't survive. The farmer puts the chickens in a shed. Fox bravely sneaks into the shed to get the chickens, but he wakes the dog. The humans only check the chicken coop and think the fox was scared off. Fox realizes he only got the chickens because the other two foxes were gone.
Sharing Food
Tawny Owl, Kestrel, and Whistler start bringing leftover food from the houses to the park. This means the animals are no longer in danger of starving. One night, while eating, they hear a hare's cry. They find that the stoat Badger met earlier has caught one of Hare's young ones. Even though they are sad, they accept that this is part of nature.
Protecting the Park
During the winter, the Warden becomes ill and leaves the park with his cat. While he is away, two poachers (people who hunt illegally) enter the park with guns. They start hunting the white deer.
Fox's Clever Plan
Fox cleverly leads the deer near a frozen pond. When the poachers run onto the ice, it breaks! They fall in and lose their guns while trying to get out. But the poachers return with smaller guns and start hunting foxes. This time, the deer work together. They charge at the poachers, scaring them away.
The Warden Returns
When the Warden returns, the animals think the poachers won't come back. But the poachers don't know the Warden is back. They decide to hunt foxes in other parts of the park. Fox then lures the poachers to the Warden's cottage. Tawny Owl tells the Great White Stag about the danger. The deer then stop the poachers from escaping, and the Warden and his guest, a Vet, catch them.
Spring and New Life
Spring finally arrives! Toad, Adder, and the hedgehogs wake up from hibernation. Toad, driven by his natural instincts, tries to go back to Farthing Wood pond. But he and another toad are caught by some boys and put in jars.
Toad's Rescue
Whistler manages to break one jar, freeing a female toad named Paddock. But Toad is still trapped. Vixen suggests that Whistler take the jar to the Warden. The Warden opens the jar and frees Toad. Kestrel learns that Paddock is returning to White Deer Park to lay her eggs. She is introduced to Toad, and they go off together to mate. Fox wonders if Vixen would have been impressed if he had been so direct with her when they first met!
At the end of the story, all the surviving animals of Farthing Wood gather together. They celebrate being alive and making it through the harsh winter.
Characters in In the Grip of Winter
