Groundhog Night: Shubenacadie Sam’s Shadow

The whole world is waiting to see if Shubenacadie Sam’s shadow means six more weeks of winter or whether spring is on its way. The day before Groundhog Day though is Groundhog Night, and as Sam discovers, other animals have shadows, too.

Come with us on this moonlit journey of discovery as Shubenacadie Wildlife Park’s most famous resident meets moose, fox and an owl and many of the other animals and birds that share the park. Shubenacadie Sam is not alone.

Shubenacadie Sam is one of the most famous groundhogs in North America. Every year on February 2 at sunrise, Sam leaves the specially built house and checks to see if he sees a shadow. The whole country waits for the result.

Five questions with our authors

1. What attracted you to this subject?

I went for an autumn walk in Shubenacadie Park near sunset and loved seeing how the light changed the mood of the park; it glowed as the sun was setting.

Imagining this community of animals experiencing seasons from the point of view of a curious groundhog made me feel curious as well. I wanted to share that with young readers and people who visit the park

2. Where did you find inspiration for the story and images in your book, especially for Shubenacadie Sam?

Winter was my inspiration. While I was creating wintry scenes for this book I was pretty much living in snow. I am an avid cross-country skier and love to pond skate. When I spend a lot of time in nature I can feel small, like maybe how a groundhog must feel. At the same time, when I am outside a lot, I start to notice small details like snow on berries and the tracks of mice on snow.

3. What special process or routine do you follow when you are creating a book like Groundhog Night: Shubenacadie Sam’s Shadow?

I visited the park and took many photos and talked to people at the park about the animals and life there. I researched the different animals and practiced drawing them. I wrote the story many times in different ways until I found a voice that seemed to connect to both the park and to Sam. I then created a storyboard which mapped out the illustrations with the text. After that I painted the large images, one by one, including the cover.

4. What is it about Shubenacadie Sam that attracts young people?

Sam is a groundhog who is famous for just being a groundhog. I think young people like that an ordinary groundhog can be part of something as big as the arrival of spring.

5. What message would you like young people to take away from this book?

To explore, to ask questions, to enjoy their natural surroundings and to experience nighttime outside!

Doretta, a painter, writer and teacher, lives with her husband and three children on a small spot of land in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. She is the author and illustrator of Snow for Christmas, and Thank you for My Bed, both of which were shortlisted for the Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Illustration. Her other titles include Step Outside, I’m Writing a Story, and Bully 101. She is also the co-author of Spin to Sea with her daughter, Izra Fitch.

WHIMSICAL

On a luminous night filled with forest magic, this charming story celebrates Nova Scotia’s famous and beloved groundhog Shubenacadie Sam. Who knows? More winter or an early spring? Another gorgeous, whimsical picture book from this prolific artist.”

Sheree Fitch author of Sing in the Spring!

INSTANT CLASSIC

Groundhog Night is an instant classic. Quiet and sweet, it’s a gentle nighttime journey that brings the reader closer to the natural world. Doretta’s warm illustrations bring out the quiet beauty of a cold winter’s night.

Sydney Smith Author/Illustrator, Governor General’s Award-winning Illustrator of Sidewalk Flowers

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