Teachers and students alike gaze out a school window with a special excitement when the first snowflake falls. Cynthia Rylant’s Snow manages to capture that same joy while intertwining the silence and poetry of snow. From a light dusting to “fat, cheerful flakes,” a spectrum of emotion and memories are woven into the description of this sentimental weather. Rylant’s own love for snow from her Appalachian childhood is evident throughout. The rhythm of the eloquent word choice and pace often follows the fluidity of snowstorm itself. The movement in the text is beautifully accompanied in acrylics by Lauren String, who was inspired by her own snowy childhood. Children will easily identify with catching snowflakes on their tongue, bundling up and taking a roll down a blanketed hill. Grab the hot chocolate, sit by the fire, and get lost in Rylant’s blizzard of descriptive language in Snow. Great choice for an introduction to personification and metaphor in the winter months. A further lesson in living in the moment and enjoying what is before you while it is near is also implied. For snow, like so many things, does not last forever. (K-3) ( )

Snow is a wonderful seasonal book. The story was simple and descriptive. The illustrations were wonderful and went with the story perfectly. The colors were great, and I enjoyed the hidden faces in things like the car covered in snow. The illustrations gave life to the simple story. My favorite description was the part about the snow that falls silently in the night. It truly describe the feelings you get in the morning waking up to a fresh covering of snow. The picture of the shy snow friend was beautiful. I would recommend this book to all children, maybe for an after Thanksgiving weekend read aloud. Maybe this would get them excited for the snow and wild weather to come. ( )

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Art Media: Oil paint ( )

A reflective look at snow: all the different kinds of snow and how it makes us feel. The acrylic paintings highlight the coziness, the playfulness, the wonder of a fresh snowfall.

What could be more wonderful for a young child than waking up to freshly fallen snow? Ms Rylant’s evocative writing and Ms Stringer’s lovely paintings beautifully capture the wonder and delight of a snowy day. An exuberant young girl shares the special day with a friend and her grandmother. This beautiful book will surely leave you wishing for a magical snowy day to share with your youngster.