Posted in Uncategorized

Welcoming Winter: Where Snow Angels Go

Where Snow Angels Go, by Maggie O’Farrell/Illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, (Nov. 2021, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536219371

Ages 7-10

A little girl named Sylvie discovers that she has a wintry protector when she catches a snow angel in her room one night. The angel reveals that snow angels are created when people make them in the snow; though the snow may melt and evaporate, the snow angels are ours forever, always watching over us. The angel has come to wake Sylvie’s mother up, because Sylvie is ill, but Sylvie won’t remember this interaction when she awakens. That doesn’t happen, though; Sylvie remembers and when she recovers, tries to make her angel reappear, putting herself in dangerous situations in order to force him into saving her. But it’s only when she really needs him that he returns to save her – and then Sylvie tasks herself with getting all of her friends and family to make their own snow angels, so they have someone looking out for them. It’s a warm, contemporary tale perfect for Christmas and for seasonal readings, with a touch of winter magic. Watercolor spreads give an otherworldly touch to the angel and the season. It’s a lengthy picture book but can easily be read over the course of two or three sittings. An activity kit invites readers to decorate their own snow angel’s wings, and color in decorative snowflakes.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Snow Friends are great friends!

Snow Friends, by Margery Cuyler/Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, (Oct. 2020, Holt Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250171313

Ages 3-7

It’s snowing! The ground is covered in white, wonderful snow and Oscar the dog can’t wait to get outside and play! His boy, Matt, however, isn’t quite awake yet, and Oscar can’t find enough to keep busy in the backyard until Matt is ready, so he decides to go off exploring on his own, and makes a new friend while he’s outside. He and Daisy, another dog, play together, make snow dogs and snow angels together, and romp happily through the snow; once Matt and and Daisy’s girl come looking for them, they become snow friends, too! With brief, easy-to-read sentences to help newly independent readers along and hold the attention of lapsitters, Snow Friends is a great readaloud pick. Will Hillenbrand’s mixed media artwork adds warmth even to the bluish-white winter snow, giving a feel for the crisp cold, infused by the warmth of play. Snow Friends celebrates winter, the spirit of play, and the fun of making new friends.

Margery Cuyler is an award-winning author who’s collaborated with award-winning artist Will Hillenbrand. You can visit Margery Cuyler’s author webpage for more information about her books, honors, and photos. Will Hillenbrand’s website has information about his books, a gallery of artwork, and free downloadable, printable activities.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell and Merce Lopez

Was there ever a more perfect book than The Snow Day to describe that feeling when you first hit that first-fallen snow?

The Snow Dancer, by Addie Boswell/Illustrated by Mercè López,
(Dec. 2020, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1542093170
Ages 4-8

A girl named Sofia wakes up to discover a snow-white world. The snow has fallen while she slept, and it’s unblemished, perfect, on the ground, just waiting. She exclaims “SNOW DAY!” and runs out to enjoy the stillness, the beauty, the absolute wonder of the snow day. She races to the park, and finds it empty, untouched, pristine; she joyfully dances through the crunchy snow until other neighborhood kids show up. But once they do, the spell is broken as they charge into the playground, laughing, pushing, and making a giant mess out of the quiet. Sofia’s solitude is broken until she meets a new little friend with fairy wings and a snowsuit, asking if she is a fairy. The two new friends dance their own dance and join the other kids, creating a wonderful snow day for all. A story of solitude and resilience, Snow Dancer is a gorgeous book to welcome the winter.

Kids and adults alike will get lost in the prose, so evocative of childhood memories: “fuzzy hats on the fire hydrants”, and “her voice hung in the still air. / No buses squealed. / No cars honked. / No neighbors shouted” bring back those incredible memories of being the first one awake and discovering the snow day. Kids will also feel it when the neighborhood kids show up and wreck Sofia’s solitude, and admire her resilience in making the most of her day, especially when making a new friend. Mercè López’s artwork brings the quiet beauty of a snowy morning to life, the mayhem of the manic play as kids try to fit as much as possible into the day, and the quiet solitude at the end of the day as Sofia curls up in a chair, with a mug (of hot chocolate? of soup?) and her cat. A wonderful winter story that will work for storytime and anytime.

 

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“A spirited paean to the snow day that will appeal to children and their parents.” —Booklist

“Vivid imagery, onomatopoeia, and supple blue-gradient typography enliven Sofia’s journey as she learns to share her snow day. A dynamic tale of cooperation, adaptation, and friendship.” —Publishers Weekly

Addie Boswell is an artist and writer living in Portland, Oregon. She specializes in murals and picture books that focus on family, community, and the creative power of children. Her recent titles include Go, Bikes, Go! and Go, Boats, Go!, both illustrated by Alexander Mostov, and Five on the Bed, which she both wrote and illustrated. Her debut book, The Rain Stomper, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, was the winner of the Oregon Spirit Award. Learn more about the author at www.addieboswell.com.

Mercè López is an artist from Barcelona, Spain. She holds a degree in illustration from Llotja Art School in Barcelona. Her recent title Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas received multiple starred reviews and was named a Center for Children’s Books Gryphon Honor Book, an NCTE Notable Poetry Book, a Kirkus Best Picture Book, and a Parents Magazine Best Kids’ Book, among other accolades. Learn more about the artist at www.mercelopez.com.
Instagram: mercelopez

 

 

 

Win a copy of The Snow Dancer for your collection! Enter this Rafflecopter giveaway!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Santa’s Story by Will Hillenbrand

It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa’s sleigh is packed and ready to go. The reindeer are off, doing their own thing: dancing and prancing, dozing, boasting… but when Santa calls them to get ready to leave, no one is showing up! What the heck is going on? And then, Santa remembers: he almost forgot the most important step of all!

Santa’s Story, by Will Hillenbrand, (Sept. 2019, Two Lions), $17.00, ISBN: 9781542043380
Ages 3-7

This cuddly Christmas story is perfect for kids who understand the power of routine. Who wants to go to bed without a good night story? No one! Well, no reindeer wants to take off for a long night’s ride without a story to get them ready, either. When Santa puts out the call, the reindeer don’t respond until Santa says the phrase they’ve been waiting to hear: “STORY TIME!” It’s an adorable story that kids will see themselves in, and parents and caregivers sure will, too. This can be a lead-in to the famous Clement Moore poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas”  and the start of a new Christmas ritual – the kids will love it if you tell them that you’re reading the same story that Santa reads to his reindeer before they head out to bring gifts to their homes! Get your hot chocolate ready, and put out extra cookies and milk for the kids to share, pre-Santa.

Will Hillenbrand’s artwork is soft and sweet, perfectly cuddly to match the story. The snow looks cottony soft, and the cartoony reindeer and other North Pole denizens are earth-toned against the brilliant white snow, and Santa’s bright red (and green book) is an attention-getter. Pair this with Will Hillenbrand’s Snowman’s Story for a sweet Christmas storytime, and make sure to visit Hillenbrand’s author website for free Snowman downloadables.

Praise for SANTA’S STORY:

“Hillenbrand’s digital illustrations have a pleasingly soft visual aesthetic…A merrily-ever-after read.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Hillenbrand reveals the spirited goings on in snowy, buoyant digital pictures featuring expressive reindeer and a jolly Santa who would be right at home in an animated movie. A light and cheery holiday tribute to tradition and storytelling.” —Publishers Weekly

“Interesting vocabulary, a touch of suspense, and a satisfying conclusion make this simple story a good addition to holiday collections.” —School Library Journal

Will Hillenbrand has written and illustrated many beloved picture books, including Snowman’s Story, Down by the Barn, Mother Goose Picture Puzzles, and the Bear and Mole series. He has also illustrated dozens of books, including the Big Bear series by Maureen Wright. Will lives with his wife and son in Terrace Park, Ohio. You can find out more about him at www.willhillenbrand.com.

Connect with Will on Facebook

On Instagram: willhillenbrand

Posted in Uncategorized

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

As I write this, it’s almost 70 degrees in New York. In November. So what’s left to do when you’ve unpacked all your Fall and Winter clothes? Think SNOW. So, join me in thinking chilly thoughts with some of these books.

How to Build an Elf Trap, by Larissa Juliano, (Oct. 2018, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $9.99, ISBN: 9781492663904

Ages 4-8

This fun nonfiction companion to Adam Wallace & Andy Ellerton’s How to Catch an Elf (2016) is all about STEAM for the holidays! Learn how to build 12 elf traps this Christmas, and take your pick of 12 bonus Christmas activities! Projects tend to run fairly simple, with most of the materials being found around the house. The projects encourage you to experiment with materials, too: swap things out! Add things! Take each construction and make it your own! Difficulty is measured in candy canes (1 for easy, 2 for intermediate, 3 for difficult) and Elf Appeal (how it will appeal to the elves you’re trying to nab). Projects are laid out step by step, with photos to guide you along, and digital artwork adds a fun flavor to the festivities. There are STEAM connections that explain how each project connects to science, and Did You Know? facts boxes add some fun Christmas facts throughout. Make an Elf Door, stick some tea light snowmen on your fridge (or locker), and get to work on your Elf Snatcher 500 while you snack on a Reindeer Cupcake.

Librarians and educators: PROGRAM IN A BOOK. This, my friends, is your December STEAM programming, right here!

One Snowy Day, by Diana Murray/Illustrated by Diana Toledano, (Oct. 2018, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $17.99, ISBN: 9781492645863

Ages 3-7

Two siblings enjoy a snowy day in this rhyming counting story! The story begins, as the best ones do, with a snowfall, while two children of color sleep snug in their beds – until their ONE pup wakes them up! The kids rise and shine, play with the pup and eat their breakfast, then it’s time to go out and play, as sister and brother meet their SIX friends for some winter fun and games. The text is light and fun, counting everything from a pup to ten snowballs – and then we count backwards, from nine buttons on a snowman’s chest to one sleepy puppy at the end of the day. The children are a multicultural group, and the detail on their clothes and the scenery itself is breathtaking. The mixed media artwork brings winter scenery to life, from sweaters with intricate Fair Isle designs, and beautifully detailed snowflakes. One Snowy Day pairs up nicely with other snowy day books and makes a nice winter concept book for your shelves.

Holiday Heroes Save Christmas, by Adam Wallace/Illustrated by Shane Clester, (Oct. 2018, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $10.99, ISBN: 9781492669708

Ages 4-7

Sourcebooks is rocking the Christmas picture books! This is the latest book by How to Catch… series author Adam Wallace, and this time, Santa needs help from his fellow holiday heroes! Santa’s too sick to deliver Christmas presents, so it’s up to the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Witch, and Leprechaun to save Christmas – but they’re not so great at this Christmas thing. The Tooth Fairy is hiding presents under pillows, and the Leprechaun is taking spare change from the houses they visit. Santa’s got to step in, but is it too late? Is Christmas done for? C’mon, you know it’s not. The gang gets their act together after a quick pep talk from Santa, and each hero plays to his or her strengths to make Christmas amazing! This is a fun story about teamwork, and a laugh out loud comedy of errors. (Psst… if you want to screen the movie, Rise of the Guardians, you can compare the heroes in the book versus the ones in the movie.) The digital art is bright, kid-friendly, and cartoony; end papers offer brief character descriptions of Santa and the gang. The book is set up with graphic novel-type panels and word balloons, so you can offer this one to your fledgling graphic novel readers to get them in the holiday spirit. This one’s a fun take on the “Santa needs help!” story theme, and should go over pretty well in libraries (and as a stocking stuffer).

Once Upon a Snowstorm, by Richard Johnson, (Nov. 2018, Faber & Faber), $16.95, ISBN: 978-0-5713-3928-0

Ages 2-7

A boy and his father go into the woods to hunt, and are separated during a snowstorm. The boy is rescued by a group of animals, who care for him and befriend him. When the bear in the group takes the boy back through the snow to find his father, Dad is grateful, and befriends the animals, too.

The art says it all in this stunning, wordless story. As father and son head into the woods, the snow comes down in the shapes of woodland animals: deer, foxes, hares, ethereal in their delicacy and beauty. Lost, the boy sleeps, shivering, under velvet skies with constellations creating animal shapes around him. When the animals accept the boy into their group, they dance, feast, and paint on cave walls; at that moment, the boy remembers his father and how desperately he misses him (Mom is present only in old family photos hanging in the home), signaling to his new friend, Bear, that it’s time to find Dad. At the story’s end, father and son enjoy a spring day, sitting on a hill with their animal friends.

The artwork alternates between panels and full bleed pages and is dreamlike in its subdued beauty. The endpapers bookend the story, with driving snow on the front papers, and a cave painting of the boy, his father, and the animals, playing together, on the back papers. The artwork is soft, and goes from the cold outdoor artwork to warm interiors both in the family home and in the company of the animals.

I love this book, and can’t wait to share it with my little readers, so I can hear their stories. This one’s a wonderful add to your winter collections – booktalk this one with Raymond Briggs’ wordless classic, The Snowman.

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Get ready for the season with First Snow with a giveaway!

First Snow, by Nancy Viau/Illustrated by Talitha Shipman,, (Sept. 2018, Albert Whitman), $16.99, ISBN: 9780807524404

Ages 2-6

A brother and sister join their friends for a day of fun when the first snow falls.

This rhyming story stars a brother and sister, both children of color, who wake up to discover that it’s snowing! With mostly two- and three-word rhyming sentences, we follow them as they get dressed and meet their friends for a day of sledding and snowplay. Their pup follows along, adding to the fun and games, and at the end of the day, the siblings and their dog head home to enjoy hot chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, and a story before bedtime.

A lovely companion to Ezra Jack Keats’ A Snowy Day, First Snow takes place in a more suburban settting than Peter’s famous city backdrop. The kids’ bright winter clothes stand out against the soft, white snow. The watercolor artwork is soft, lending a comfortable, hazy, snowy-day feel to the scenery. Brightly colored kids’ hats and mittens set the tone on the endpapers.

Perfect for snowy day reading, preferably with some hot chocolate and a warm blanket and stuffed animal. Great for toddlers and easy readers alike!

Nancy Viau is the author of five picture books, including City Street Beat, Storm Song, and Look What I Can Do!  Her middle-grade novels include her new release, Beauty and Bernice, along with Just One Thing! (2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Award Winner), Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head (to be reissued in the spring of 2019), and Something is Bugging Samantha Hansen (fall 2019). As a member of the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature, Nancy volunteers with other council members to produce the Rutgers One-on-One Plus Conference every year. She works as an assistant librarian, and when not reading or writing, she hikes, bikes, and travels wherever her frequent flyer miles take her. To learn more, and to download a free Story Hour kit for First Snow, visit her website, NancyViau.com.

 

Talitha Shipman graduated with an MFA in illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2008. She’s illustrated several books, including You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie, Everybody Says Shalom, and Applesauce Day. Talitha lives in Indiana with her husband, daughter, and dog. She can be found at talithashipman.com.

 

Praise for First Snow:

“A sweet suburban/rural contrast to the snowy day enjoyed by Peter in the city.”  — Kirkus Reviews

Relive the joy of the season’s first snow in this sweet trailer!

 

One lucky winner will receive a copy of First Snow, courtesy of Albert  Whitman & Co (U.S. addresses). Just enter this Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance!

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Henry and the Yeti is about snuggle-worthy friendship!

Henry and the Yeti, by Russell Ayto, (Aug. 2018, Bloomsbury USA), $16.99, ISBN: 9781681196831

Ages 3-7

Henry is a little boy who loves yetis, but no one is quite sure whether or not yetis actually exist. Except for Henry, that is. He gets some time off from school, packs his equipment, and heads off on an expedition to the snowy mountains. Just when he’s ready to turn around and go home, SURPRISE! He finds a yeti! The two hit it off, snap some pictures, and Henry heads back home, delighted. But when he unpacks his gear, he discovers, to his horror, that he left his camera behind! How can he prove to his principal and classmates that he isn’t making things up? It’s a good thing that yetis are such good friends.

What an adorable book about friendship Henry and the Yeti is! I especially love the quirky, cool-hued artwork, making Henry and instantly likable little boy with huge glasses, expressive eyes, and a turtleneck that hides the rest of his face and covers most of his body. The yeti is an amorphous, white blob on two legs, and he, too, has tremendous, kind eyes. The size difference makes these two friends adorable together as they take selfies and share hugs. The sparse illustration allows readers to give Henry their full attention and sets him apart from his principal and classmates, all of whom stand taller and wear more shifty, less open, facial expressions. The text is tongue-in-cheek, working wonderfully with the artwork. When the principal uses a bullhorn to announce Henry’s punishment, we see the large yeti’s legs and body come into view, and the text reads, “Oh! Henry sees the yeti again. The yeti sees Henry. The principal sees the yeti. And everybody stops laughing.” The joke is on the mean crowd, and we’re there to savor it as it unfolds, as does on the next page… but I’ll let you read it for yourself. Suffice to say, Henry’s reputation is saved and he’s gained a friend for life; the principal and classmates have learned a valuable lesson about being kind. The book was originally released in the UK in 2017

Read this one out loud, and make sure you leave time for all the giggles and “awwwwwws” you’ll hear. Add Henry and the Yeti to your stories about empathy, friendship, and yes… yetis (psst… sasquatches work, too).

 

Posted in Preschool Reads

Happy Book Birthday, Space Boy and the Snow Monster! Plus, a giveaway!

Space Boy and the Snow Monster, by Dian C. Regan/Ilustrated by Robert Neubecker, (Oct. 2017, Boyds Mill Press), $17.95, ISBN: 978-1-59078-957-5

Recommended for readers 3-8

Niko the Space Boy blasts off on his third adventure! This time, Space Boy’s trusty friend Radar is missing on Planet Ice (don’t worry, he’s never far out of the reader’s sight) and a horrible Snow Monster – who looks a lot like Niko’s sister – is menacing him! His space dog, Tag, wanders away from him, leaving him all alone to battle the Snow Monster, who’s building an army of mohawked snow soldiers. Luckily, Niko manages to locate Radar and get to the ship, re-acquire Tag, and get to safety. Maybe.

This fun book is perfect for readers of all levels. With a layout that feels part picture book, part comic book, with comic-like panels cartoony art that includes mohawked snowmen, kids and adults alike will be waiting for a snow day to go on an exploration of their own. There’s a real Calvin & Hobbes feel to the story, as we see the story through Niko’s imagination; little hints keep us grounded in reality, but not too much that we can’t surrender to the adventure. My son immediately asked me to start saving cardboard boxes, so we can make our own spaceship, when I first read him this one; I suggest you start saving your own delivery boxes now. Split into mini-chapters (or episodes, for old school serial sci fi fans) lets kids come back to the adventure if they need to take a break. The fonts are wild and exaggerated, and the art is loaded with movement across spreads.

SPACE BOY AND THE SNOW MONSTER; text copyright c 2017 by Dian Curtis Regan, illustrations copyright c 2017 by Robert Neubecker,
published by Boyds Mills Press. All rights reserved.

Space Boy and the Snow Monster is an enjoyable addition to the Space Boy series, and a fun standalone picture book on its own. Put this one with your snow day books and your maker books, like DK’s Out of the Box, to give kids some adventuring ideas of their own.

Want to blast off with your own copy of Space Boy and the Snow Monster? Enter this Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance! (U.S. addresses only, please!)

SPACE BOY AND THE SNOW MONSTER; text copyright c 2017 by Dian Curtis Regan, illustrations copyright c 2017 by Robert Neubecker,
published by Boyds Mills Press. All rights reserved.

 

Dian Curtis Regan is the author of more than 60 books for young readers, ranging from picture books to YA novels.  Her books have received many honors, including Best Books for Young Adults, Children’s Choice Awards, Junior Library Guild selections, Los Angeles Times Recommended Book, and New York Public Library’s Best Books.  Space Boy and the Space Pirate was a 2017 finalist for the Colorado Book Award, and the winner of a 2017 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Space Boy and the Snow Monster is brand new this fall. Dian lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  To learn more, and to download a curriculum guide, visit diancurtisregan.com and spaceboybooks.com.

 

https://i0.wp.com/illustrationfriday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IllustrationFriday_RobertNeubecker12.jpgRobert Neubecker is the award-winning author-illustrator of Wow! City!, Wow! America!, and Wow! School!, and the illustrator of The Problem with Not Being Scared of Monsters and its companion The Problem with Not Being Scared of Kids. He lives in Park City, Utah. Visit neubecker.com.

Posted in Preschool Reads

Book Review: All You Need for a Snowman, by Alice Schertle/illus. by Barbara LaVallee (Harcourt, 2002)

all-you-need-for-snowmanRecommended for ages 3-5

A group of children list all the important materials you need to create a snowman, beginning with the first snowflake.

The process of building a snowman takes on a life of its own in cadence and rhyme in this story, which builds excitement as it goes along, teasing the reader with each spread. “One small snowflake/fluttering down—/that’s all you need/for a snowman” begins the first spread, but the word EXCEPT on the lower right hand corner of the page tells the reader there’s more to come. The next spread brings the next adds more snowflakes: “two more snowflakes…/three flakes… four…/five… six… seven thousand…/eight million more…”, followed by the rolling of the snow into a ball, then two smaller balls, then choosing a hat, until the snowman stands,  towering over the group. The word EXCEPT shows up on every other spread, pushing the reader to continue the story and building anticipation in the listener. The artwork brings an interesting look at a multicultural group of children by emphasizing the children’s profiles and shadowing one half of each face as if the children possess both light and dark skin. Ms. Lavallee’s watercolor and gouache paintings use light blue snowflakes as a background to the children’s snowman building activity, and  she  changes perspective from close-ups to full scenes that work with the pace of the text. The plain black font plays with the space, never interfering with the story and yet becoming part of it as it stacks to the side of the artwork or teases at the bottom of a page.

This would be a great story to read during a winter/snow read-aloud. The rhyme and cadence of the text would be soothing to listeners even as they became excited to learn what comes next in the snowman-building process. There are many printables and fingerplays available featuring snowmen, and a fun craft would allow children to create their own snowmen with cutout shapes that mirror some of those mentioned in the story: big snowballs, smaller snowballs, hats, “bottle caps” for eyes, “carrots” for noses, scarves, earmuffs, boots and belts. The Perry Public Library has many suggestions for Winter read-alouds.

The Children’s Literature Network offers an author webpage for Ms. Schertle with a biography and featured covers of some of her works.

Posted in Preschool Reads

Book Review: The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats (Viking Press, 1962)

snowydayRecommended for ages 3-5

In Keats’ beloved classic, a little boy enjoys the wonder of his first snowfall. Peter wakes up to see snow covering everything as far as the eye can see. After breakfast, he ventures outside and plays in the snow, making snow angels, playing with footprints, making a snowman, and climbing a mountain. He goes home and tells his mother about his day, takes a warm bath, discovers that the snowballs he saved in his pockets are gone, and  goes to sleep, only to wake up to another snowy day. The groundbreaking book was the first picture book to feature an African-American child as the hero of his own story and is still popular with audiences of all cultures and backgrounds today; it is the story of a child enjoying a snowy day – preschoolers will enjoy thinking about their favorite snowy day and appreciate moments that Peter experiences that may be familiar to them: the feeling of snow hitting him on the head, getting hit with a snowball when he tries to play with older boys, and the feeling of a  nice, warm bath  when he gets home.

Mr. Keats used illustrations consisting of cut-outs, varied textures, strong watercolors, geometric shapes, and collages, was also considered an artistic breakthrough. The images are not outlined, giving making for a softer appearance and will keep young audiences interested while the plain black font allows for a read-aloud that will keep audiences interested in the pictures while the reader weaves the tale. The endpapers provide a comfortable lead-in and phase-out to the story, with multi-colored snowflakes on a sponge-like background. Peter also appears in Keats’ books Peter’s ChairA Letter to Amy; and Goggles!

The Snowy Day has won numerous awards and accolades over the last 50 years, including the Caldecott Medal (1963) and the Child Study Children’s Book Committee (1995).

This would be a great anchor story for a winter/snowy day read-aloud. There is a board book version available for even younger audiences; it may be a good idea to have copies on hand for toddlers who want to follow along. Multicultural audiences will appreciate the African-American main character. The author’s website has an interactive version of the story with narration and a soundtrack that should be accessible on library computers. The Perry Public Library’s Snow & Winter storytime offers ideas, fingerplays and songs; children can talk about their favorite snow days and could color snow-related printables available on many children’s websites. Children could use precut shapes to make and decorate their own snowmen.