The Snow Child (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)
by Harriet Ziefert
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Description
An elderly couple who long for a child build a snow child which comes to life and makes them very happy--until the coming of spring when the days become too warm for her to stay.Tags
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Member Reviews
This book was very intriguing. At first, I was unsure of were the story was going to take me, but as it progressed, I saw the change. The old man and his wife happily had a snow child, but she was unable to stay when the seasons changed. I think book is great because it addresses an issue that is very real today. Not everyone is able to have children of their own, may the reason be infertility, or their situation, this book shows how this couple over came that and found a way to live happily. This book would make a great writing model for children, as it is an example of folklore, a different way to tell a story, and how dialogue is used in writing.
The Snow Child by Harriet Ziefert was about and older couple who could not have a child. This made them very sad, though they still loved each other. One day, they noticed all of the little kids playing out in the snow and decided to join them. Instead of making a snow man, they decided to make a snow child. They gave her a body with arms and legs, eye, ears, nose, and even hair. They topped the snow child off with a dress.
When the woman kissed the snow child, it came to life. This made them both very happy. They finally had a child. They prepared her a bed inside, but the child refused to sleep in it. She needed to stay outside where it was cold, so they made her a bed of ice and she slept in it.
When spring began, the snow child ran show more away to follow the cold. This devastated the husband and wife, but when winter came, so did the child.
This book seemed unrealistic even for a children’s book. There should have been some sort of explanation as to how the snow came to life, even if it was something as simple as “And the woman’s want for a child was so great that when she kissed the snow, it came to life.”
The illustrations were unique. It looks like the illustrator cut up pieces of magazine-like paper of various fabrics and threw them together. Everything was very flat-looking. Some of the cutouts were very realistic, and you could see the threads in the clothing, whereas others looked drawn and dotted with white-out. The spring section of the book was very colorful.
Overall, this was by no means by favorite children’s book, but it was okay. show less
When the woman kissed the snow child, it came to life. This made them both very happy. They finally had a child. They prepared her a bed inside, but the child refused to sleep in it. She needed to stay outside where it was cold, so they made her a bed of ice and she slept in it.
When spring began, the snow child ran show more away to follow the cold. This devastated the husband and wife, but when winter came, so did the child.
This book seemed unrealistic even for a children’s book. There should have been some sort of explanation as to how the snow came to life, even if it was something as simple as “And the woman’s want for a child was so great that when she kissed the snow, it came to life.”
The illustrations were unique. It looks like the illustrator cut up pieces of magazine-like paper of various fabrics and threw them together. Everything was very flat-looking. Some of the cutouts were very realistic, and you could see the threads in the clothing, whereas others looked drawn and dotted with white-out. The spring section of the book was very colorful.
Overall, this was by no means by favorite children’s book, but it was okay. show less
The Snow Child is a short story about a husband and wife who long for a child but are unable to conceive. At the current time it is snowing so they build a snow child. They build her as if they are building a snowman. They are surprised when this girl snow child comes to life. They learn she is only present when it snows outside. They become at peace with this news and are able to see her only during the winter.
The Snow Child was a book about an old couple who wanted a child. They decided to make a daughter out of snow. When it warmed up outside, the snow child ran away, but came back when the snow returned. I enjoyed reading this book. It was quite cute, and was definitely a good read. I would read this to my students during the winter since it is a winter book.
I did not know this was an easy to read version, I would love to read the original, my daughters were captivated by the story.
The story is similar to frosty the snow man who comes alive, but in this story a little girl comes to life. She lives only in snowy cold environments, so she leaves and returns when it snows again.
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Author Information

543+ Works 24,383 Members
Harriet Ziefert is a children's author born in 1941 in New Jersey. She has written several hundred children's books, including the Little Hippo series. Ziefert and illustrator Emilie Bon have collaborated on a series of "Little Hippo" books, the first of which was published in 1988 by Viking Penguin. The books are written for children between 1 show more 1/2 to 5 years-of-age. They are intended to help children deal with change, like the addition of a new baby to the family or moving to a new house. Her titles include Little Hippo's New Baby, Little Hippo's New Friend, Little Hippo's New School and Grandpa, Will You Play With Me? (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2000
- People/Characters
- Snow Child; Old Man; Old Lady
- Important events
- Winter
- First words
- An old man and his wife live together in a little old house.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)“I am a child of the snow. I come back when it is cold.”
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Statistics
- Members
- 55
- Popularity
- 557,015
- Reviews
- 6
- Rating
- (3.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 6






















































