Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After a polar bear cub is separated from his mother, he seeks comfort with "a snow mother" that his cold-weather friends a musk ox, snow goose, moose, fox, wolf and rabbit help him build. Dawn breaks, and when the cub awakes, he discovers that the snow figure has been replaced by his warm, familiar-smelling mother. The book's "hook" is Kneen's illustrations; as with her The Lonely Scarecrow, they are embossed to evoke the textures of the arctic setting and its inhabitants. Children will readily discern the difference between the smooth feel of the fallen snow and the bumpier surfaces of the animals' coats and feathers. But there's little variation among the textures of the animals themselves and the conceit wears thin quickly. It's ultimately the quiet power of Moss's (The Snoops) writing that compels attention. With alliteration and sibilance, she evokes the hushed landscape of winter: "In the silent forest is a clearing where soft snowflakes fall. But listen! There's padding and pouncing and a snowdrift shivers." Her descriptions bring to life the different ways each animal helps the cub: the bison "heaves a heavy mound of snow with his strong shoulder," while the snow goose "pats down the snow with her wide, webbed feet." All ages. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-This square storybook uses elegant embossing and selective foil-paper accents to enhance the scenes of deepest winter. Softened realism shows a sweet-faced polar bear cub that receives assistance in his search for his mother from a musk ox, a snow goose, a moose, and others. Moss provides some poetic phrasing-"There's padding and pouncing, and a snowdrift shivers"-that also lends a rhythmic connectivity. The ending is satisfying but there is no explanation for mother bear's prior whereabouts. Be aware that the double pages are joined at two edges and may not hold up given the heavy usage that the book's appearance assures.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A polar bear cub canÆt find his mother, so his forest friends help him make a snow bear to keep him company. When night falls, they leave and heÆs alone again--until his mother finds him the next morning. The gracefully embossed illustrations have more depth than the lackluster story, which is weighed down by uninspired repetition. From HORN BOOK Spring 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Soft snow falls on this delightful story of a young bear's trust that his mother will find him. Little white bear has become separated from his mother, and decides to wait for her to find him. In the meantime, he starts to make a snow mother to keep him company. As he piles it up, Musk Ox comes and helps him, using his strong shoulder to shift the snow. Then comes Snow Goose, who uses her webbed feet to pat it down. From Moose and Fox, to Wolf and Hare, each of the animals uses their own special strengths to help. Just as they finish, the sun sets and their own mothers call them home . . . all but Little White Bear, who is left alone to cuddle against the snow sculpture. After a warm night, though, the sculpture melts and Little White Bear's own beloved mother finds him at last. Moss (This Is the Tree, 2000, etc.) beautifully portrays the fact that Mom will always find her child, although hopefully no human child will have to wait as long as Little White Bear does. Young children will love to touch these pages-thick card stock allows Kneen (The Golden Egg, not reviewed, etc.) to add texture-the animals feel furry, and the snow has depth. Her gentle illustrations are quite realistic, and the darker animals pop out from the white, snow-covered background. A warm tribute to the love of a child for its mother with a gimmick that doesn't detract. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
