Review by Booklist Review
PreS^-Gr. 1. Waking to a thick blanket of newly fallen snow, crocodilian quartet Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill throw on winter clothes, burst joyfully from their respective houses for a bout of sledding, rush back inside for forgotten helmets and goggles, then collapse in dismay when Sam suddenly remembers: "School." But wait; all is not lost. The four dash back inside, call the local radio station, and declare Snow Day--which they can easily do as Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill are, it turns out, school principals. The text is very simple; Lakin uses 10 or fewer words per sentence, and principal is the only one with more than two syllables. What's great is the surprise: neither Lakin nor Nash, in his big, bright cartoons, let on that the four snowbirds, seen mingling with a crowd of young folk happily zooming down the slopes, are adults--until the kicker's perfectly timed revelation. It's definitely good to be a principal. --John Peters
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Although this exuberant book should probably come with a disclaimer-"Kids, don't try this at home"-there's no denying that Sam, Pam, Will and Jill, a quartet of anthropomorphized crocodile children, have hit on an ingenious way to take full advantage of a new snowfall. Posing as principals (they even put on dressy clothes to get in the right frame of mind), they call the local news station and declare a snow day. "All schools are closed!" announces the staff of Croc-O News. "Wheee!" exult Sam, Pam, Will and Jill, a few pages later. "And they sledded and sledded all day." Lakin's (Don't Forget) text is a model of comic economy, using simple vocabulary ("principal" is the only three-syllable word in the entire book) and repetition to create an ebullient, punchy rhythm. Nash's (Over the Moon) gouache-and-pencil pictures, often divided into panels to show simultaneous action among the four protagonists, giddily chronicle the events leading up to the principal ploy: the flurry of phone calls among the friends, the donning of appropriate snow gear, the crushing realization that school presents a formidable obstacle to their sledding. His crocodiles are nearly identical, but therein lies much of the dizzy humor-every emotion is multiplied times four. Even the typography seems just right, with large, sans-serif letters underscoring the staccato pacing. A seamless work of storytelling about a classic snow job. Ages 2-6. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In children's books, incongruity often reigns, even on snow days as crocodiles don boots, mittens, snow goggles, and scarves. Four colorful, cartoonlike creatures grab their sleds and head for the hill. Mid-trip they realize that they must settle the school-closing issue and call the local radio station reporting in as Principal Sam, Principal Pam, Principal Will, and Principal Jill. "Snow day today," barks the news, a page later, "All schools are closed!" The faces are expressive, and the accessories, sleds, clothing, and neighborhoods are imbued with color, style, and pattern. The text is large, bold, and black. Although at first glance the book appears as if it could also be fairly easy reading, looks can be deceiving. There are well over 50 words introduced and, despite predictable picture clues and repetition, it will take a secure beginning reader to decipher Snow Day. As a read-aloud, it appears too fractured with a staccatolike rhythm. Unlike Lakin's Don't Forget (1994) and The Palace of Stars (1993, both Morrow), this is a somewhat lightweight yet lighthearted offering.-Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY (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
Upon awakening to snowfall, four crocodiles prepare to spend the day sledding--until one remarks that they've all forgotten the matter of school. All four return to their homes, phone the CROC-O NEWS, and--in an exquisite twist that truly surprises--identify themselves as Principal Sam, Principal Pam, etc., and declare a snow day. Nash's candy-colored illustrations perfectly capture the giddy mood. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (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.
