Snow days

This picture book features textured mixed-media collage artwork paired with a rhyming enumeration of different snow types and their respective textures, activities, or snow day descriptions. "Blizzard snow--school closes/ Rosy cheeks, red noses," reads one page, alongside an image of a bundled-up family clearing their driveway with shovels. Kerbel's couplets include both concrete details ("Frozen snow, shiny-hard/ Snowbank mountains in the yard") and more poetic abstractions ("Last snow, tame and shy,/ Winter's quiet wave goodbye"). Sato's deceptively simple illustrations are almost tangible in their layers, showcasing an array of stitches, paper finishes, and fabric surfaces, and depicting an inclusive cast. Back matter features five "fun experiments" with snow. Ages 2--5. (Nov.)

Simple rhyming couplets explore the myriad experiences snowfall brings, from the revelatory joy of the first snow to the somber goodbye of winter. Children relish moments of ordinary magic brought upon by winter activities such as making a snow angel, throwing snowballs, and building a snowman. Young, expressive faces capture the pure emotions that accompany snow play, like the satisfying comfort of a soft, fluffy snowbank and the cautious trepidation brought on by slippery ice skates. The easy-to-follow rhyme scheme uses a two-word pattern at the beginning of each couplet: a descriptive word always followed by the word snow. "Powder snow, sugar white / Blowing flakes of frosted light"; "Frozen snow, shiny-hard / Snowbank mountains in the yard." The children are a diverse group representing a variety of skin tones and hair colors. There is a nice differentiation in hue between the paler-skinned children and the white snow. The colorful collage illustrations strongly utilize texture to create depth and visual interest. The materials used to create the outerwear and accessories are especially realistic and invite closer inspection. Timid blooms peeking through melting snow end the book with a hopeful promise of spring. A playful celebration of wintry weather. (suggested activities) (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.