Snow

Teachers and students alike gaze out a school window with a special excitement when the first snowflake falls. Cynthia Rylant’s Snow manages to capture that same joy while intertwining the silence and poetry of snow. From a light dusting to “fat, cheerful flakes,” a spectrum of emotion and

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memories are woven into the description of this sentimental weather. Rylant’s own love for snow from her Appalachian childhood is evident throughout. The rhythm of the eloquent word choice and pace often follows the fluidity of snowstorm itself. The movement in the text is beautifully accompanied in acrylics by Lauren String, who was inspired by her own snowy childhood. Children will easily identify with catching snowflakes on their tongue, bundling up and taking a roll down a blanketed hill. Grab the hot chocolate, sit by the fire, and get lost in Rylant’s blizzard of descriptive language in Snow. Great choice for an introduction to personification and metaphor in the winter months. A further lesson in living in the moment and enjoying what is before you while it is near is also implied. For snow, like so many things, does not last forever. (K-3)

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We liked the line, "And then there is the snow that begins to fall in fat, cheerful flakes while you are somewhere you'd rather not be. Maybe school. Maybe work." After reading "Snow," we had to put on our boots and investigate the snow for ourselves!

This would be a good book to read when the weather is changing. It get students excited about winter and the snow! The book is about students and the snow, they all like to watch the snow out the window.

This story is about snow and different ways children describe it. They describe the snow that comes during the middle of night and how it feels when you wake up the next day and the snow is there. They describe this snow as "a shy friend that is too afraid to knock". It describes the snow that

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consists of "fat , cheerful snowflakes". This is a lighthearted story that is simple to read.

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About a young girl and her grandmother who experiences the effects of snow. The book tells about different types of snow and how it affects the environment. The book gives warm comfort for the joy of winter.

This is not a Caldecott award winner. It is a book written by Cynthia Rylant who is the Newbery award winning author of Missing May -- one of my favorite Newbery books.

The illustrations by Lauren Stringer are stunningly beautiful.
I read this last night while it was raining. It was safe, warm and

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cozy.

The story and illustrations are lush and heavenly. The lovely images of soft, billowy snow swirling through the air and pillowing down on children creates an atmosphere when the hub bub of life slows to a halt.

As the snows cakes the fir trees, the reader can almost hear the echos of children's voices bouncing through the air.

I particularly like the images of the young girl and her grandmother as they return inside with warm hot chocolate, books to read and games to play.

I like this book so much that I will buy copies for presents.

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There are several reasons I like "Snow." First, the story is a really great read for any young child that loves snow! This book can relate to young children, who are always hoping for a snow day and the fun that comes along with it. But this book also pushes readers to really think about different

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families. The main character lives at home with what appears to be just her grandmother. Second, the illustrations enhance the style of the written text by portraying the story well. There are beautiful snowflakes, and most illustrations are drawn from an above view perspective. This gives the reader feelings of a wintery blizzard happening right outside! Finally, the writing is very different from other children’s books. The grade level equivalent is 4.5, but the interest level is K-2. The writing is complex, using multiple similes and metaphors. For example, “The best snow is the snow that comes softly in the night, like a shy friend afraid to knock, so she thinks she’ll just wait in the yard until you see her.” The big idea of this book is about enjoying a wonderful snow day with family and friends.

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This book has great graphics that could introduce a nature topic- not only it's beauty but the wonder of symmetry in snowflakes, and the effects of how snow falls on trees and the ground. It also uses some really informative descriptive words that allows readers to picture the setting, even without

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looking at the pictures.

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Snow follows the popular children's literature trend of children playing in the snow, but it succeeds in making a good story. Students will love the images.
Students will enjoy listening to the descriptions of snow, especially during the winter months.

Love this book. Book tells of all of the great features and things that happens on a snowy day. It also depicts that as snow, nothing last forever except memories

Maybe I'm just overwhelmed by Rylant's fantasies of a perfectly wholesome world, but I just don't think this is one of her most valuable works.

Cynthia Rylant’s lyrical descriptions of the sights and feelings evoked by falling snow blend gorgeously with the rich and beautiful world created by Lauren Stringer’s illustrations, in which a young girl, her friend, and her grandmother enjoy the many things a snowy day has to offer.

Starting December off right. Beautiful illustrations.