Summary: This book is about a little boy who does not think he needs to learn to read. One day he sees a little boy reading about a snowman in the market. He decides he wants to learn about snowmen so he decides to learn how to read.
Opinion: This somewhat relates to my work with ESS students that cannot read. A lot of them are not very motivated to read but this shows the joy that can come from it. I like how none of the African kids have ever seen snow because a lot of Arizonans haven't either! ( )

Convinced that an Igbo man of Nigeria would have no use for reading, Amadi does everything he can to avoid the lessons his mother has arranged with a local teacher, Mrs. Chikodili, even running off to the market. Here, he is surprised to discover Chima, an older boy whom he greatly admires, surreptitiously reading a book at the book-seller's stall. Peering over Chima's shoulder, Amadi sees a picture of a strange white creature, with a carrot for a nose. This snowman, and the unfamiliar world from which he comes, fascinate Amadi, who begins to wonder if books might not have something to offer him after all...

Found on my public library's "Winter" display this past weekend - probably because the word "snowman" appears in the title - Amadi's Snowman is another winning title from Maine-based Tilbury House, one of my favorite smaller publishers. An engaging story of a young man who comes to realize the importance of the written word, both in opening new worlds to the reader, and in empowering him in whatever profession he may choose, it is a story that ably communicates its message, without being preachy, or overly didactic. The accompanying illustrations by Dimitrea Tokunbo, whose father grew up in Nigeria, are colorful and engaging. All in all, a solid picture-book, recommended to young readers who are curious about life in Nigeria, or who need a reminder that books, and reading, are gifts to be cherished. ( )

This is an enjoyable book, and Amadi is an engaging character. Kids will understand (and some may agree with) Amadi's logic about why he doesn't need to read. The author very artfully shows us the flaws in that logic, without brow-beating us.

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.

Amadi doesn't see the value of learning to read until he wants to find out about something he doesn't experience in Nigeria...snow and snowmen! ( )

Amadi, a confident Igbo boy who is good with numbers, has decided that he will be a businessman. He doesn’t understand his mother’s insistence that he learn to read. One day, while strolling the marketplace in his village, he spies a picture he cannot comprehend. If he could only read the words under the picture perhaps he could understand..... Thus is the tale of Amadi's Snowman by Katia Novet Saint-Lot with illustrations by Dimitrea Tokunbo.

Though the central message of Amadi's Snowman is one of the joys of reading, I was especially thoughtful of a personal experience as I read this colorful tale: In 1994, I moved from the Midwestern United States to sunny South Florida. I was still in the good ole U.S.A. so I underestimated the cultural differences. I have many stories of diversity, but one that stands out was the first day the thermometer plummeted below 60 degrees. My students showed up for class in parkas and mittens while I was still in a dress with a light sweater. I laughed and asked, “How many of you have ever been in the snow?” Out of 33 third graders, only 4 raised their hand. So, to me, Amadi's Snowman is more than just a reading-is-a-wonder send up; it’s a multicultural look at how others view the same world.

With colorful illustrations that serve the setting well, Amadi's Snowman is recommended for elementary classrooms and libraries, as well as for inclusion with units on diversity, the powers & joys of reading and African studies.

Review first published on Reading Rumpus ( )