Snow! (Growing Tree) - Hardcover

Christine Ford is a poet who lives in Arlington, TX. Snow! is her first book for children.

PreSchool-A brother, a sister, a dog, and a dad spend a day sledding, throwing snowballs, and making a snowman before returning to the comfort of hearth and home. Double-page spreads are paired with short, repetitive rhymes such as "Slide slide/down we glide/Swish swoosh/goes our ride" and "Pack pack/pile stack/Toss a snowball/get one back." Due to the size and fuzzy watercolor and paper-collage illustrations, this book would be most enjoyed one-on-one rather than in a group setting. Though the rhymes are pleasant and the family seems to be having a good time, both text and illustrations are a bit flat. For a more vivid depiction of that particularly gray sky that comes right before a snowfall, look for Uri Shulevitz's Snow (Farrar, 1998), or to convey the magical wonder of a snowy day, try Kevin Henkes's Oh! (Greenwillow, 1999).
Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.