One Snowy Morning

October 1, 2019
One snowy morning, two forest friends stumble across an unexpected surprise...a snowman. Readers who ever wondered what forest creatures think when they come across elements of humanity in their natural world need wonder no more, and they will delight in the naiveté of this woodland's denizens. They see not a snowman but a "giant pile of snow" with "long wooden legs" (its arms) "lumpy kickballs" (the nuggets of coal used for its eyes) and even a "dragon tooth" (its carrot nose). But what to do with all of this newfound treasure? The squirrel and chipmunk who kick the action off have an idea that will surely surprise the rest of their friends and bring them all together. Children and adults alike will have fun watching these little critters as they creatively play with top hat, mittens, and scarf before discovering each of the snowman's components' actual purpose: ingredients for dragon-tooth soup, fuel to cook it with, and a table and accessories. Whimsical, playful illustrations depict these critters' cozily appointed home, full of rodent-sized human appurtenances. It's all so dear that readers may not wonder how it is that the snowman's accessories are such a mystery to animals who have a well-appointed kitchen that includes cans of tomatoes, a pepper grinder, and a great many very nice-looking pots and pans. This sweet read will encourage young ones to look at everyday items in brand-new ways. (Picture book. 3-5)

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October 21, 2019
“One snowy morning... two friends found the oddest things stuck in a giant pile of snow.” When a chipmunk and a squirrel come across a snowman in the forest, they are perplexed. What could it be? This charmingly silly tale follows the furry friends as they ponder the snowman’s classic accoutrements, before landing upon their own ingenious way to use these strange objects: a “dragon tooth soup” party featuring a top-hat table, button plates, and carrot soup. After, “they returned almost everything... to about the same place.” Tseng’s minimal, witty text, where a snowman’s coal eyes become “lumpy kickballs” and a scarf becomes “a grand theater curtain,” works with Wulfekotte’s cheery, cheeky illustrations to get the jokes across, and images of round-bodied woodland creatures cheerfully sporting enormous mitten hats and concocting carrot soup (and a glorious mess) will elicit giggles. Ages 3–5.

December 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-The title sets the scene as two friends, a chipmunk and squirrel, stumble upon a snowman complete with a top hat, a collection of buttons, scarf and mittens, and even a carrot nose. Yet the woodland creatures have never seen such a thing and start to disassemble the parts, guessing what each item is for. The chipmunk and squirrel pilfer the snowman's nose to make a soup and host a party, eventually returning the borrowed bits for someone else to enjoy. Told alternatively through narration and animal speech bubbles, this clever story is sweet and endearing. Each item the snowman is wearing is given a creative name and purpose, which offer readers rich opportunities for imaginative exploration along with new vocabulary. In this way, the story is reminiscent of Antoinette Portis's Not a Box or Not a Stick, with more narrative and talking woodland creatures. Wulfekotte's illustrations provide thoughtful animation to the story, with comical facial expressions and subtle details (such as a curious owl or the chipmunk with its tongue hanging out, drooling over his soup) that give the creatures vitality. VERDICT A quick, amusing read, this would be a good pick for most collections looking to round out their winter-themed selections.-Kaitlin Malixi, Kensington Health Sciences Academy, Philadelphia

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