Snow & Rose

August 14, 2017
Sisters Snow and Rose once lived a charmed life in a grand house with a beautiful garden. After their father disappears into the woods, the girls and their mother are forced to move into a small cottage in the same forest. There, they befriend a boy named Ivo, discover a mysterious library filled not with books but objects, are tricked by a strange little man, and bond with a protective bear. Unfolding over episodic chapters that build to a well-deserved happy ending, this moody fairy tale emphasizes family, friendship, and the powerful bond of sisterhood. Martin’s characterization of the two contrary sisters is especially moving: Rose is the type of person who “holds on to a thing she loved as tightly as she could,” while Snow wants “to see or hear or taste something she loved over and over again, to remind herself that it was real.” The sisters’ contradictions make their relationship all the stronger, and Martin’s prim full-color paintings and spot illustrations tenderly highlight key characters and moments. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

Cassandra Campbell delightfully performs this retelling of a famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. In lilting, soft tones, she conveys the sweet innocence of Snow and Rose, two girls who find themselves living alone with their sorrow-filled mother after the disappearance of their father. Campbell's modulated voice combines with the sounds of birds and weather to bring out the magic and mystery of the forest in which the girls go wandering. Campbell's varied voices showcase the personalities of the characters the girls meet, such as the cheeky Ivo and the shrill little man whom they save but who only brings them trouble. Campbell's expert pacing creates tension during some of the suspenseful moments, heightening the drama to make this a captivating listen for older children and adults alike. M.F. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine