Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--In the coldest months of the year, winter delights and surprises with the beauty, wonder, and magic it contains. From skating across frozen ice to warming up with a mug of hot chocolate, winter is filled with opportunities for cherished memories to be made. This book is told from the perspective of Winter personified, an unseen character who uses the first-person to detail everything it brings to its conventionally cold and snowy season. Rhyming lines and descriptive phrases celebrate Winter, while the accompanying illustrations bring the text to life. Visible pencil lines and watercolor hues offer a diverse collection of children participating in many experiences iconic to the season. These images are the primary focus of each spread, and while they are not as loud, dynamic, and dramatic, they vividly provide the cozy feel of the world they represent. Young readers will find this story to be particularly accessible due to the large font, rhyming text, and brief sentences used within it. Additionally, rich vocabulary enhances the narrative while providing listeners with potentially new words to add to their stores. Onomatopoeia and repetition round out the telling to create a multifaceted listening experience for children who are being read to. Readers who enjoy tales that celebrate the beauty in every season will appreciate the design and execution of this book. VERDICT This is a fun addition to seasonal picture book collections for young readers.--Mary R. Lanni
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Review by Horn Book Review
This picture book employs a first-person voice to enumerate the joys of winter. The rhyming text claims the identity of everything from snowmen to hot cocoa. "I'm a skater flying across the ice -- flash! / I'm a sled zooming down the hill -- dash!" Two of the season's holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah, are referenced in the text and/or the gouache, watercolor, and digital illustrations. The palette is appropriately cool, with pops of warmer colors, including bright red for mittens and the jacket of a boy making a snow angel (in perhaps a subtle nod to The Snowy Day) and glowing yellow for a cozy fire. The repeated refrain "I am Winter..." is completed at book's end with "I am Winter Magic!" An uplifting celebration. Martha V. ParravanoNovember/December 2024 p.10 (c) Copyright 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
Winter gets distilled into some of its signature components. "I am Winter," the text declares, while the accompanying image depicts a "silvery snowflake" landing on a pale-skinned child's nose. A page turn reveals more seasonal signs: "a cardinal "chirping in the bush" and a snowball "flying high--whoosh!" Each subsequent element is introduced through the same "I am" sentence structure and linked through rhyme. The illustrations include both single- and double-page spreads, as well as occasional pages that are bordered with patterns. Often, elements transform: Snow becomes a snow angel, then a "jolly snowman," then the residue on red woolen mittens. Winter is ice, too, whether on the grass or under ice skates--flying with a "flash!" Wreaths adorn doors. Cocoa steams in a child's hands. Gingerbread cookies wait to be eaten. The carefully constructed scenes end on a contemplative note, comparing winter to a "very old story / or a beautiful poem" and "a walk in the woods / and then back home." Aside from "candles in the window" (paired with an image of a menorah) and cookies decorated with the Star of David, the illustrations heavily favor Christmas symbolism. Though characters are diverse and some cityscapes are depicted, Minor's gouache and watercolor art evokes holiday cards from bygone eras; the images accentuate the nostalgia with warmth and soft textures. A cozy poem to celebrate the winter season. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
