Snow Is...

August 5, 2024
Gehl’s joyous couplets exalt a day of snowy fun, using the titular refrain as springboard. From the “moment you wake” and “stillness/ before the first flake,” energetic lines laud snow’s myriad qualities while describing the play it allows (“Snow is a hoard that is set for attack.// Snow is Dad’s face.../ when a snowball/ goes WHACK!”). Shown with pale skin and black hair,
a child protagonist and their father stand out against the steely blues of Sánchez’s digital snowscapes, which are shaded with looping scribbles. After a day of snowpeople, sledding, snow forts, and more, “Snow is the sparkles/ as sun starts to set” and the duo, joined by a second caregiver and baby portrayed with brown skin, troop home, where “Snow is a fire with snuggles and books.” The creators successfully evoke both the exhilaration of a snowy romp and the deep sleep it can inspire. Ages 4–8.

August 15, 2024
A shadowy blue color scheme accented with red pairs with gentle rhyming verse in a cozy ode to snow. This book treats snow as an unalloyed joy; no shoveling, wet pant legs, or numb fingers appear here. Instead, readers follow an Asian-presenting child and father throughout a day of cavorting in the snow, accompanied by an energetic dog. The verse scans well, encompassing both abstract evocations of snowy weather ("Snow is a plop / and a flop / and a squish. / Snow is a flutter, / a swoosh, / and a swish") and more concrete experiences ("Snow is a hoard that is set for attack. / Snow is Dad's face... / when a snowball / goes WHACK!"). The digital illustrations have a homey, pastel-like quality that--despite the chilly subject matter--imbues the playful tableaux with warmth. With a limited palette of whites, blues, and grays, S�nchez captures the quietly luminous quality of shadows on snow, broken by pops of red from the family's clothing. From snowball fights to fort-building to sledding, the father and child enjoy their romp until the arrival of a second, Black-presenting adult and a bundled, brown-skinned baby, who usher the group back inside as the sun begins to set. More coziness ensues at home before child, baby, and dog pile into bed together. A sweet wintry celebration.(Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2024
"Snow is a feeling the moment you wake / Snow is a stillness before the first flake." This picture book shows us a classic snow day through the eyes of a young child. Each page tells readers what snow means to the speaker -- anticipation, snowball fights, sitting in front of the fire, and togetherness. The rhyming text and the digital illustrations in a warm blue palette punctuated with reds work together beautifully to bring color into a world blanketed in snow. After a day of fun and excitement, this loving, diverse family snuggles down with some cookies and blankets and bids us goodnight. Niharika Prabhakar

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
Snow is a feeling the moment you wake / Snow is a stillness before the first flake." This picture book shows us a classic snow day through the eyes of a young child. Each page tells readers what snow means to the speaker -- anticipation, snowball fights, sitting in front of the fire, and togetherness. The rhyming text and the digital illustrations in a warm blue palette punctuated with reds work together beautifully to bring color into a world blanketed in snow. After a day of fun and excitement, this loving, diverse family snuggles down with some cookies and blankets and bids us goodnight.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)