FICTION

100 Snowmen

illus. by Stephen Gilpin. 24p. Amazon/Two Lions. 2013. RTE $14.99. ISBN 9781477847039; ebk. $9.99. ISBN 9781477897034.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—Arena shows children how to count to 100 (and back again) in this humorous, seasonal concept book. She accomplishes this clearly and simply by cumulative addition of 1+2=3; 3+4=7 snowmen, and so on, using rhymed couplets to move the story along. Gilpin adds his adorable illustrations, showing almost every snowman with a traditional carrot nose and stick arms, yet each sports a different winter hat and/or accessories. Readers will be looking in the details for sneaky variations, such as a hot dog nose. Especially notable for eliciting smiles is the spread on which "Three more snowmen playing hide-and-seek./Two more snowmen trying not to peek. 3+2=5." The snowmen, try as they might, cannot conceal themselves among the dark green conical evergreen trees. Snowflake endpapers set up the frozen theme. Older children might even want to double-check the author's addition at the conclusion of the tale, while younger readers can simply count the snowmen on each page. This winter offering should have broad appeal.—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
"One lonely snowman has a carrot nose. / Two other snowmen join him when it snows. / 1+2=3." In the ensuing spreads, the number of snowmen climbs ("9+10=19") and then drops until the combined tally is, as the title promises, one hundred ("1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1=100"). This painless lesson in simple addition is bolstered by engaging illustrations of snowmen in berets, peacoats, and more.

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?