It's Christmas Eve and people are snug in their beds, but something is stirring outside. The snowmen are preparing to celebrate! Under the glow of moonlight, all the snow families are slipping away to gather in the town square for a night of caroling, dancing, and an exciting visit from the snowman Santa Claus.

When a little boy builds a snowman on Christmas Eve, he goes to bed wondering what snowmen do during the night. He dreams of them slipping away and gathering together to celebrate in their own way with holiday greetings, tree trimming, and a visit from Santa. Snowmen sure know how to have fun before returning to their homes on Christmas morning.

The Bottom Line: With bouncy rhyming verse and bright, clever paintings by a husband and wife team, this sequel to Snowmen at Night will be a seasonal favorite. Recommended holiday reading for little ones in Pre-K - Grade 1. As an added bonus, each illustration contains hidden figures. Can you find a cat, a rabbit, a Santa face, a T-rex, and a little brown mouse? Take your time, and take another look because the items are well hidden.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. ( )

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Cute story, great pictures! ( )

"I think that while I'm snug in bed / Dreaming of Christmas treats, / The merry snowmen slip away / And hurry through the streets." And so the young boy-narrator of this second rhyming picture-book about the nighttime adventures of snowmen enters into another magical dreamscape, in which he imagines the many fun activities snowmen engage in, whilst celebrating Christmas. From decorating the Christmas tree in the town square to joining in a round of carols, the snowmen know how to mark the season, returning to their daytime places with a special holiday glow in their hearts...

Like the first picture-book about those snowy figures and their surprising nighttime adventures, Snowmen at Christmas pairs an engaging read-aloud text in rhyme with bright, colorful illustrations. Mark Buehner's artwork here is especially lovely, capturing the mysterious beauty of snowy nights and the festive appeal of holiday lights. It also contains hidden images that young reader/listeners can hunt and find. Caralyn Buehner's text, meanwhile, depicts a heartwarming array of traditional Christmas activities, highlighting the importance of communal celebration. Recommended to anyone who read and enjoyed Snowmen at Night, as well as to anyone looking for fun Christmas stories told in rhyme. ( )