Review by Booklist Review
High in the sky, snowflakes gather and talk about where they will land, perhaps on a mountaintop or a castle or in a great forest. Smallest Snowflake, longing for someplace special, drifts along through the air until she lands in the window box of a little cottage. Over many weeks, she happily peers inside. Finally, green shoots push up through the dirt and snowdrop flowers open on the stalks, and graceful closing sentences end the snowflake's story and herald the arrival of spring. English illustrator Watts writes a tale as sturdy yet delicate as her artwork: sturdy because of the satisfying structure underlying both the story's simple plot and the pictures' clean compositions, and delicate because of the sensitive use of detail in words and pictures, which are warmed with washes and strokes of color. This quiet yet involving picture book is highly recommended for reading aloud as winter turns to spring.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As she listens to the big plans of other snowflakes ("I'll ride the wind to the most beautiful mountain in the world"), the Smallest Snowflake wonders where she will land; she's searching for "someplace special." With the delicacy of embroidery, Watts's ink and watercolor spreads show snowy landscapes around the wintry world: rosy-cheeked women in red scarves hurrying past the domes of St. Basil's Cathedral, Mount Fuji standing against a pink sky swirling with snow, ice-dwellers fishing by igloos and icy peaks. Some may wonder how an object as ephemeral as a snowflake can think of searching for a place to settle down, but the Smallest Snowflake does just that, landing in the window box of a stone cottage. "There was a fire glowing in the fireplace and... on the table, a picture being painted" (an image from Watts's version of Little Red Riding Hood sits on the table). As spring comes, the inevitable conclusion brings not tragedy but elation for the snowflake: "Love filled her heart with such warmth that she melted away with joy." A gentle celebration of winter beauty. Ages 3-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Watts takes readers on a beautifully illustrated journey across the world to find the perfect place for a snowflake to rest. While the larger snowflakes dream of landing on mountains and beautiful buildings, the smallest snowflake simply wants to find a place that is warm. It finally settles in a flower box on a window ledge and spends the winter admiring the cozy fire and tea kettle through the window. Eventually, snowdrops grow in the flower box and the smallest snowflake forms an unlikely friendship with the tallest snowdrop, leaving readers with a sweet tale of finding one's place and the transformative power of love. Mixed media illustrations compel the turning of the pages, as stunning pastel colors sweep readers from mountaintops to St. Basil's Cathedral to the snug window ledge. The muted palette transports the eye into chilly winter landscapes before giving way to the soft oranges and reds of the cottage. VERDICT A charming story that would be ideal for transitional winter-to-spring read-aloud hours.--V. Lynn Christiansen
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
High above the geese, the snowflakes discuss where they will go. One settles in a village of red-tiled roofs, another on a mountaintop, still another on the Kremlin. But the smallest snowflake drifts with the wind over Europe and the Arctic lands, finally lighting on the window box of a little Welsh cottage (the artist's former residence, readers learn from the jacket flap). There she waits out the winter until spring comes, when she melts with joy at the sight of a snowdrop. Watts's delicate watercolors make the most of the snowflake's journey, painting the landscapes both grandiose and homey with equal affection. If the concept is more than a bit twee, the geography inconsistent and the ending downright sappy, the pictures are imbued with their own quiet magic. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
