Some Snow Is...

August 1, 2019
Snow. Can't wait for it to appear. Can't wait for it to disappear. From the first hopeful glimpse of what might be the First Snow to an impatient farewell to lingering Spring Snow, Yeomans captures the ever changing nuances of the frozen precipitation and how children interact with it. A simple, repetitive rhyme scheme (all but the fourth line of each verse ends with "snow," and fourth-line pairs rhyme) is soothing and rhythmic, but precise verbs and adjectives make the story shine. "Arms fly up and down snow. / Legs sweep along the ground snow. / Move and flop again snow, / a flock of angels sings." Joyful neighborhood children of diverse races and their equally exuberant pet dogs build snow forts and stage snowball battles, create snow tunnels and slides after shoveling out, and even enjoy "the best snow is Snow Day Snow. / Can't go out in that snow. / Too much coming down snow, / a world of swirling white." (Look for the snoozing Snow Day dogs.) Realistic illustrations are done in pen, ink, and watercolor with digital touches and are a bit reminiscent of Trina Schart Hyman's work. Scenes morph from fall through winter to spring and incorporate snow from soft flurries to blinding blizzards. A perceptive, three-season-ish celebration of snow perfect for a snuggly read. (Picture book. 3-6)

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October 21, 2019
Like a frosty incantation, Yeomans uses lyrical cadences to itemize the many types of snow, from the first snow—“We’ve waited for so long snow. Is it really snow snow, or only heavy rain?”—to “all gone snow”—“We’ve waited for so long snow. Please, please, no more snow/... our bikes are whispering.” Incorporating a range of winter pastimes, from making snow angels, throwing snowballs, and sledding to tracking critters, avoiding yellow snow, and staying cozy on a blizzardy day, the text takes its time to chant its way through winter’s span. Much like winter itself, some may find that the story stretches a bit long, though Offermann’s captivating pictures help sustain attention. The richly detailed illustrations combine the crispness of manga-inflected pen-and-ink drawings with the softness of watercolor to show an inclusive cast of children experiencing every sort of snow that Yeomans names. Ages 4–8.

November 15, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-The English language might not have as many words for snow as some other languages supposedly have, but this rhyming story does its best to tackle the amazing variety of the wintry precipitation nonetheless. Three young friends explore and celebrate as the seasons change from late autumn to early spring, watching the initial hesitant flakes of "First Snow" become sleet, then more heavy varieties (Fluff Snow, True Snow, Snowman Snow) suitable for making snow angels, forts, and snowballs. Eventually, even fun snow becomes tiresome, as the kids long for "no more snow" as their "bikes are whispering." Offermann's vivacious pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations brim with energy and movement, whether it's the leaves blowing in the wind of the first snowfall, flying snowballs, or the three friends sailing over a hill on a sled. VERDICT Though the repetition of "snow" in every three out of four lines gets somewhat monotonous, this is a charming seasonal story, especially for places that have lots of snow in winter.-Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University

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