Winter Is Here by Kevin Henkes
One of four seasonal installments that describes, simply and beautifully, the coming and going of winter.
To truly appreciate these books, readers should consider all four as installments of one larger story that feeds into the next and the next and the next, just as the seasons themselves do. Using more poetry than narrative, Henkes evokes the myriad of feelings and happenings we are familiar with during winter from the snow falling and the wind howling (in every language) to the innumerable zippers and layers we wrestle with before leaving home and the dog coming in covered in snowflakes. Finally winter slips onward and gradually yields to spring with illustrations that will neatly tie into When Spring Comes. Surprisingly NOT illustrated by Henkes himself, the art is still vibrant and captivating -- indeed, these are books to read as much or more for the art as for the text, and Laura Dronzek consistently delivers in each book as she does in this one. Four stars.
Winter Is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer
A little boy reflects on all the ways that winter is the warmest season. From warm clothes to heaters, hot baths and fuzzy pajamas with feet, winter brings the most warmth into our lives.
This book has made the rounds over and over, and rightfully so. The premise is exceptionally unique, brought on by the author's young son. The text is simple and suitable for even younger children. Illustrations are vibrant and lean on a warm palette. They may feel busy for some minds. Overall, a fun read with your littles and a unique take on the season. Four stars.
Just One Flake by Travis Jonker
One little boy determined to catch a snowflake on his tongue finds the day doesn't go quite as expected.
The premise of this story is fantastic - young readers will relate (and be eager to try again for themselves) and adults will surely end up on a walk down memory lane if they grew up with snow. Because the premise is so very simple, the middle begins to feel a bit forced. The ending is decent with a slight twist. The illustrations are a standout, bold and vibrant with great colors and the feel of crayon drawings. Overall, a satisfying little read to tuck into your winter story time. Three stars.
Lines by Suzy Lee
A wordless book about an artist and a figure skater who must both reconsider failure and see it in new ways.
Wordless books are always great for helping pre-readers learn narrative structure and engage in storytelling before print is accessible to them. They build motivation and other skills that lead to reading success, and are a wonderful addition to a story time routine for this age. Lines is a simple and sweet story about a skater who takes a fall and considers giving up until she discovers that sometimes skating can really just be for fun and community. Overlying this story is a framing story in which the artist has their skater take a fall and crumples up their work before deciding to smooth it out and take the story in a different direction. Unlike Lee's Wave, Lines is a slightly more complex story. The art is lovely and understated and the endpapers are essential. This can make the story a bit more challenging to access if one is borrowing from a library, where the endpapers may be covered or used for RFID tags or other identifying matter. Understanding that two different stories are happening simultaneously will be critical to understanding the pages surrounding the skater's fall, which otherwise may lead to confusion. The story also moves slowly through the beginning with multiple pages of the skater just leaving intricate lines everywhere. This wordless book would be best suited to children who have experience with wordless stories and are not going to be immediately frustrated by the seeming lack of plot early on. Two stars.
First Snow by Bomi Park
A beautiful, spare and partially wordless story about a small child's night time adventure in the first snowfall. When snow falling awakens this small child, they dress themselves and head out to play. After rolling a snowball through the neighborhood and then the forest, the child emerges into a bright, sunny field where hundreds of children are also making snowmen. A twist ending will leave every reader wondering what really happened and what didn't in this imaginative little tale.
With a monochromatic palette accented with splashes of red, sparse text and adorable, soft illustrations, Park beautifully captures the wonder and magic that accompany the snow in a child's life. Much is left up to the child's interpretation. Although it does seem clear that at least part of the story is imaginative, children and parents will have some interesting discussion about where the boundary between reality and imagination lies. A great experience with wordless texts. This would pair well with The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and is a fun contrast story for Just One Flake mentioned above. Four stars.
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
As snowflakes begin to fall, a boy with a dog proclaims it is snowing over and over, only to be scoffed at by the adults nearby.
Watch this book for the illustrations because they will end up telling the reader an entire whimsical extension of the story that is never mentioned in the text. However, the text alone, while written in an unusual grammar, is simple enough for young readers, humorous and children will readily relate to being the one no one believes. Kirkus called this one evocative, timeless and irresistible, and this librarian heartily agrees. Four stars.
Wintergarden by Janet Fox
A little girl and her mother plant a windowsill herb garden for the winter and enjoy its produce.
The plot makes this story sound overly simple. While it is certainly not bogged down by extraneous text, this is a wonderful, simple look at a child's time with her mother and anticipation of the growing plants. The illustrations are primarily watercolor, evoking a nostalgic feel and darting into both collage and whimsy on occasion. As much imagery as story, this one is sure to be a favorite for young and old alike. Endnotes on growing one's own windowsill garden are included. Pair with Eric Carle's Tiny Seed or Kevin Henkes' My Garden. Four stars.
That's MY Sweater! by Jessika von Innerebner
Olivia adores her red sweater and wears it nonstop until the day it is unequivocally too small and is passed down to her baby brother. Incredibly upset by this turn of events (and baby drool on HER favorite sweater), Olivia vows to do whatever it takes to get her sweater back. Until a chance discovery and some words of wisdom from an unexpected source change everything. Perhaps sharing isn't so bad...
Many children will relate to the frustration of sharing or losing favorite items, especially those who have had an article of clothing or a blanket they can't live without. Adults will get a chuckle too, both at Olivia's creativity and the unexpected resolution to her plight. Digital art resembling pencil drawings and using a limited palette is extremely eye-catching and effective. Hilarious and heartwarming, this one is sure to be a favorite with everyone. Five stars.
I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan
A young boy has fantastical visions of building the BEST SNOWMAN EVER. When reality doesn't quite meet his expectations, the boy discovers a way to make his new friend perfect.
I wanted to like this book but it felt like it was trying to do too much and turned too quickly. The text initially is a little wordy in spots, particularly in the instructions for how to build a snowman. This part of the text might have been better served as a show-don't-tell throughout the process. The spreads with the instructions through "dream come true" could have been skipped easily to keep the story directed and smooth the flow. The latter half of the book is adorable with the young boy's delight at his creation very heartwarming. The artwork brings vague hints of Ezra Jack Keats although it lacks the layering and complexity. It would pair reasonably well with Snowy Day and the representation of a family of color is a welcome addition to the genre. Three stars.
Bunny Slopes by Claudia Rueda
Bunny is spending the day on the ski slopes today and he needs YOUR help. This interactive story has readers shaking the book to make snow, tilting the book to give Bunny just the right slope and helping him out when catastrophe strikes.
In the much-loved style of Escargot and This Book Just Ate My Dog, Bunny Slopes gives young readers the chance to interact with the main character and "influence" the story on almost every page. Palette is sparse over charcoal drawings strike an engaging note and large, simple text will easily engage younger children. The book is a sweet, fun read, although it lacks the true hilarity and unique charm of the aforementioned front-runners in this category. Three stars.
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