Review by New York Times Review
WRITING a children's book about snow is no small order, given that one of the most memorable children's books of all time, "The Snowy Day," by Ezra Jack Keats, so definitively owns the subject. The book's freshness is all the more startling given that it celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. But there will always be new takes on the subject, whether decidedly nostalgic ones, as in two new books, "Cold Snap" and "Twelve Kinds of Ice," or contemporary ones, as "The Snowy Day" was in its time and "A Perfect Day" is now. Could there be any pleasure more timeless than a book that sparkles? It's always nice when the prose shines, but "Cold Snap," written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman, is going for a more literal dazzle: its snow-scene cover glints with tiny flecks of ice-blue glitter, providing the kind of visual that will entrance readers before they have heard so much as a single word of text. To its credit, the story, too, reflects a deep understanding of what is most likely to tickle the fancy of children. As a cold snap in the village of Toby Mills gets worse, the icicle on the nose of a local statue gets longer; the mayor is spied at his office getting cozy in pink bunny slippers; and Pastor Pickthorn's dog, Mugs, begs "for his fuzzy red coat - the one he had balked at wearing before." In the age of global warming, a cold snap seems to serve as the perfect premise for a tale imbued with deep nostalgia. Heavy on Americana, "Cold Snap" evokes fabled small-town values, the kind inevitably described as bygone but more accurately called idealized. It is a place where the Sullivan Sisters knit mittens the size of flap-jackets for all the children in town, and locals accept the mayor's invitation to a "winter surprise" because, as a certain Mrs. Moffat says, "It's our civic duty." Priceman, who is perhaps best known for the lively illustrations of "Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin," brings the same antic energy to the chilly but cheery people of Toby Mills, and Spinelli alternates gags with tender moments. A woman bakes her husband's birthday cake elsewhere rather than disturb a family of mice seeking heat in her oven; and readers may forever see the moon on icy nights as Spinelli describes it: "silver as sleet." If "Cold Snap" is the Sears Roebuck of snow stories, "A Perfect Day," by the designer and illustrator Carin Berger, is straight out of Etsy. Its tiny Penguin-like collage-based figures - Sasha and Max and Thea among them - are visions in twill and plaid and striped tights. Its snowy scenes are so tasteful that an icicle stand opened by young Charlotte looks like some outdoor pop-up shop that a contestant on Bravo might have designed (even the sign on the stand is subtle but snazzy). In this book for toddlers, or for older children with a good eye, the text is mostly a setup for the unusual and beautiful images, as Berger follows a day's progress from the first pristine scene of morning to the evening's moody landscape, imprinted with the hollows of snow angels and glowing with warm lamplight. "A Perfect Day," though spare in words, evokes the greatest hits of snowy days, from steaming cups of hot chocolate to snowball fights. Its images - stark trees and strangely shaped clouds - capture something more elusive, the eerie otherworld liness of a landscape transformed. Berger created the backgrounds of her collages using faded old receipts and other ephemera. Children may not even notice the ghostly scrawlings, but for adults they serve as a reminder of the contrast between the concerns of grown-ups (bills, balances, investments) and those of the Finns and Sophies who populate this snowy world. The nostalgia is even more explicit, and specific, in Ellen Bryan Obed's perfect snowflake of a book, "Twelve Kinds of Ice." Truth be told, it is unclear exactly what kind of child would find the book entrancing: sophisticated enough for good readers, it is sparsely, if deftly, illustrated and has no vampires or brand names or even a dramatic plot to suck someone in. But it is nonetheless an ingeniously crafted memoir of Obed's dreamy childhood in Maine, built around the 12 kinds of ice that served as successive signposts of the advancing season. It starts with the first ice that "came on the sheep pails in the barn - a skim of ice so thin that it broke when we touched it." And it takes readers through various delights as December turns to January and February. Even more powerful than Obed's evocations of the thrills of physical sport are her swift, indirect characterizations of her family, who worked hard to transform what was usually the vegetable garden into a skating rink, making them neighborhood stars. Obed's father not only let all the local children put on an ice show in his rink, piping John Philip Sousa through the house windows, but provided the entertainment, skating around with a lemon pie that ended up making contact with Grandpa's face. This is a book about a young woman's deep connection to nature and her family, but also the thrilling reward of pitching in together to create something magical. Barbara McClintock's engraving-like illustrations, all black and white, capture New England's austerity and beauty in winter, and the swirling lines of skaters in motion. Of course, anyone nostalgic for a decidedly modern children's book about snow need look no further than "The Snowy Day," with its friendly traffic light; chocka-block apartment buildings; and independent hero, Peter, a young boy of color. For as long as there is snow, such books remind us, the experience of its magical coldness - in literature as in the outdoors - will thrill children, wherever they are. Susan Dominus is a staff writer at The Times Magazine.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 11, 2012]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* It's winter in Toby Mills, a town where the children are taking full advantage of the snowy hills for winter fun. But each day, from Saturday to Friday, the temperature falls and the icicles lengthen. Though the townspeople help one another as best they can, they become increasingly stressed by the bitter, relentless cold. When the mayor announces a winter surprise, his shivering neighbors leave their homes that evening and trudge to the top of T-bone Hill, where a blazing bonfire warms their spirits and marks the end of the cold snap. A recipe for Miss Dove's sugar-on-snow candy, served at the surprise celebration, is appended. Spinelli creates a keen sense of frigid weather and a strong sense of community in the text, which portrays the experience by spotlighting one person after another, from the cafe owners knitting a sweater for their cat to the mayor working late in his toasty pink bunny slippers. Full of color and activity, Priceman's vivid gouache paintings offer many opportunities to watch the same characters engage in different activities from day to day. In both the writing and the artwork, colorful details bring the story to life. This shows just how warm cold can be. A delight for sharing, especially one-on-one.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Winter fun becomes a little less so for the denizens of Toby Mills when a deep freeze descends upon their quaint small town. The first cold day is filled with sledding and snowballs, and the icicle hanging from the nose of a town statue is barely there. By week's end, the mercury has fallen steadily, shivering townsfolk have had their fill of trying to stay warm, and the icicle on General Toby's nose has reached the ground. Luckily, the mayor's wife comes up with a fiery, community-minded plan. From cocoa and sweaters to hot-water bottles, Spinelli (A Big Boy Now) catalogues all the ways people find warmth in winter; despite the harsh weather, her story has a nostalgic tone. Working in vibrant gouache, Priceman (Jazz Age Josephine) creates cheery winter wonderlands both indoors and out. Children in bright stocking caps and mittens whiz by on toboggans, and bundled-up customers sip "steamy soup and bubbling stew" at the local diner. She dots her fluffy snowscape with a rainbow of colorful houses, creating a cozy village that readers will long to visit, regardless of the forecast. Ages 5-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-As the temperature drops in the town of Toby Mills, children stop playing outside, pets need sweaters, and adults start complaining to the mayor. Churchgoers huddle together, and Pastor Pickthorn preaches in earmuffs and an overcoat. After the furnaces and trains freeze up and the town becomes known as the new North Pole, the mayor's wife invites everyone to a bonfire on top of T-Bone Hill. Before the citizens can forget the fun they had that night, the cold snap ends with the shattering of an icicle that has been growing off the nose of a well-known statue in town. Although the glittery snow on the book's cover doesn't extend to the illustrations inside, the cool hues and imagery convey memories of chilly winter days. Full-page art and spreads, rendered in gouache, focus on characters young and old in this racially diverse town. Busy scenes show myriad activities, with snow-covered shops and houses in the background. Miss Dove's Sugar-On-Snow Candy recipe is included. Perfect for cozy sharing on a frosty, frigid day.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada (c) Copyright 2012. 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 Kirkus Book Review
A community caught under the pall of a weeklong cold snap comes together in this cozy, old-fashioned story that is high on both charm and appeal. The Toby Mills cold snap begins innocently enough on a Friday, with snow angels, sledding and an icicle on the nose of the statue of the town founder. On Saturday, soup and stew are popular menu items at the diner, and the icicle is chin-length. On Sunday, the heavily clothed townspeople shiver through church services. Wednesday is so cold that the mayor wears his robe and pink bunny slippersat work. By Friday, the statue's icicle reaches the ground, along with everyone's patience. But the mayor's wife has just the solution--a warm winter surprise that brings out the best in everyone and makes them forget the cold. The quaint details in Spinelli's text that are brought to life in Priceman's gouache illustrations make this book stand out, giving it the air of an old-fashioned seek-and-find. "Franky Tornetta stopped whining about his itchy woolen socks and put on three pairs," and there he is in the picture, green socks layered over red and yellow. Boldly colored vignettes and spreads that depict the small-town setting and round-headed, pink-cheeked characters enhance the retro feel of the book. This may not be the most exciting or enthralling winter tale, but it is perfect for sharing during readers' own cold snaps--calming, reassuring, charming. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
