Review by Booklist Review
PreS^-K. Animals in a natural setting anticipate winter in this fast-moving picture book as an owl, some geese, a moose, a bear, some bunnies, and a fox all show their feelings about the coming snow. Some embrace it; some resent it ("My fur looks like fire, against this white snow," bristles Fox); others just deal with it. The bunnies blend right in with the snow, as their coats have changed color for the winter. Bear hibernates. The geese fly south. They will all get through the winter, anticipating spring. Stojic's sparse text reveals much about seasonal cycles, and her rich double-page acrylic paintings capture the physicality of the animals in a brief, transforming moment in time. --Kathy Broderick
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This season, several companion titles compete for readers' attention. Having tackled Rain on the African savanna, Manya Stojic looks at how animals respond when winter weather hits in Snow. Bear yawns and hibernates, Fox grumbles about losing his camouflage, and the geese head south, honking "So long, snow." In the acrylic paintings, Stojic's broad brushstrokes emphasize the animals' snuggly allure. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-On a cold, gray day, Owl ruffles her feathers and wisely announces that snow is on its way. The geese fly away, a bear yawns and prepares for hibernation, a mother hare draws her babies close and tells them that it's time for their white winter coats, etc. Snow covers the forest and Owl announces that even though it will stay for a long time, "-one spring day, it will drip drop melt away." There is a refined, melodic rhythm to the spare text, and the graceful, internal rhymes are never forced. The oil paintings elegantly match the lovely language. Close-up portraits depict the animals as they gaze at the cloudy skies and frolic in the first snow. In the early pages, golden autumn leaves fall in the background; then, a spread on which white text appears on a black background and no animals are present clearly defines the separation of seasons. This gentle celebration is ideal for storytime sharing.-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In a book with a pleasing structure, the forest animals anticipate winter's first snow. Each reacts in its own way after the snow falls: Bear gets sleepy; the geese fly south; Moose enjoys the crisp air. For her striking illustrations, Stojic uses thickly applied paint to create textured close-ups of the animals. The large lettering, with its irregular edges, resembles writing on a frosty window. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Stojic (Hello World, above, etc.) paints this gentle anticipation and enjoyment of a snowfall in breezy, broad strokes. On each spread, an animal comments on the upcoming weather event, beginning with owl: " The snow is coming,' she said wisely. I know snow.' " Geese, a moose, a bear, several hares, and a fox also have snow-related things to say. The text is spare, a few short sentences per spread; the animals are painted as close-ups, each taking up most of a page. In a brilliant, subtle use of the color white, delicate brush strokes sweep through the opening pages, evoking the chilly breeze that comes before snow. Where is the snow, though? On the spread when it finally snows, the nighttime background is dark, allowing only individual flakes to be seen; turn the page, however, and morning has come, revealing expanses of snow that cover ground, evergreens, and the sides of tree trunks. The sudden visual surprise of turning from a blue-black nighttime spread to a white-dominated daytime beautifully mirrors the feeling of waking up in the morning and finding the landscape magically transformed. In this landscape, each animal gets a spread to react to the change: exuberant bunnies frolic, their newly-white winter fur matching the snow perfectly; the fox bristles because he " looks like fire . . . against this white snow' "; the bear drifts into hibernation; and the smiling moose delightedly sniffs the crisp air. This snowfall is both exciting and peaceful. (Picture book. 2-5)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
