Winter Is for Snow

PreS-Gr 2—Twosiblings hold decidedly different opinions on winter and snow in this simple, rhythmic paean to a city snowfall. Big brother wakes up gleefully to the fluffy white stuff piling up outside their apartment window: "Winter is for wonderful!/Winter is for snow!" But younger sister frowningly responds, "Winter is for cold and damp./It must be ten below!" And so goes their droll verbal point/counterpoint, reflected in fonts of different colors, as Sis reluctantly turns off her media devices and bundles up for their trudge to the local sledding hill. Along the way, Brother envisions the adventurous worlds of polar ice and snow that lie beyond their doorstep, and his sister slowly has a change of heart, ultimately tasting flakes and sledding with gusto. Back home enjoying hot chocolate and a cozy fire with Mom, she is a smiling convert to the joys of the season. The rhyming text, while slight, will hold children's attention as they pore over the appealing illustrative details, rendered in black line and bold color. Snowflake patterns, suffusing nearly every page, underscore the blanketing snowfall and create a cohesive visual motif. Equally suitable for a lapsit or group read-aloud, this title is a worthy purchase for collections needing additional winter-themed materials.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT