Review by New York Times Review
In this sweetly pared-down story about adapting, little Pedro, arriving at his cousins' house from "far away," is not psyched to see snow. "It is cold," he notes, "and I don't like cold." Snow angels? No thanks. Sledding? No way - until someone goes first. Soon Pedro's enjoying a snowball fight and not feeling cold anymore. McCarty ("Henry in Love") draws furry creatures that are all as still and stout as saltshakers, yet he gives each a subtle individuality that evokes unexpected emotion. OUTSIDE Written and illustrated by Deirdre Gill. 40 pp. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 8) A snowy day finds a little boy looking longingly out the window, then leaving his computer-fixated older brother to venture outside. There, his snowball grows into a giant creature that comes to life, followed by an immense snow castle and, for good measure, a fire-breathing dragon who takes him for a ride over the snow-covered world. Gill's message is overt, and attuned to many parents' concerns these days: No matter the weather, freedom lies where the electronic devices are not. BLIZZARD Written and illustrated by John Rocco. 40 pp. Disney-Hyperion. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 8) In a follow-up of sorts to his Caldecott Honor book, "Blackout," Rocco recounts the blizzard that shut down his neighborhood when he was a boy. His family was stuck, albeit cozily, at home for five days, until he turned tennis rackets into snowshoes and made a "long journey" to the market. A pullout spread maps his route, including stops to build a snowman and climb a lookout tree. It's a wonderful story of everyday adventure, with a strong 1970s vibe: Dad's got a La-Z-Boy, and those rackets are wooden. WINTER BEES AND OTHER POEMS OF THE COLD By Joyce Sidman. Illustrated by Rick Allen. 32 pp. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 9) Some elegant strategies for surviving snowy Northern winters come to life in these cogent poems, accompanied by factual sidebars and strikingly colored prints. A scrum of hibernating snakes "'round each other twist and fold"; a beaver family hangs out in a downright inviting-looking "under-ice world / of the fat white wigwam"; working in tandem, a raven and wolf call to each other to "keep tracking our dinner." The chickadee keeps on looking for food "from dawn to dusk in darkling air." THE SNOW GIRL Retold by Robert Giraud. Illustrated by Hélène Muller. 32 pp. Floris Books. $17.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 9) Sensitively retold from a traditional Russian tale and illustrated with an ethereal, wintry beauty, this "Snow Girl" leaves a haunting impression. An older, sadly childless couple make a girl out of snow and are delighted when she comes to life, "so lovely they couldn't stop gazing at her." The girl is cheerful and busy, but when spring comes she's unaccountably forlorn, until she leaps over a fire and disappears. The couple hear her voice in the breeze delivering an astute twist on conventional wisdom: "Winter will bring back what summer drives away." ONLINE A slide show of this week's illustrated books at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [January 18, 2015]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In this story, drawn from an incident in Rocco's childhood, the title says it all. Snow begins falling and falling. At first it's all fun and games and hot chocolate (made with milk). By the fourth day, though, the snowplows still haven't arrived, the food is running out, and now the hot chocolate is made with water. But walking to the store doesn't seem possible unless you are light enough to use tennis rackets as snowshoes. So, tugging his sled, the young narrator sets out. A wonderful four-page pullout spread shows an eagle-eye view of the neighborhood, with tracks marking his journey to the store. There he buys supplies for his family and neighbors. In the evening, the hot chocolate will once again be made with milk and the next day, the snowplows arrive. The story is an adventure, but the fun comes from Rocco's pencil, watercolor, and digital art. Its retro look and unusual vantage points show up well on the wide expanses of white. Readers will also like that this really happened to Rocco and there's a snapshot to prove it!--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Caldecott Honoree Rocco (Blackout) recalls a journey he took as a boy during the blizzard of 1978, when he lived in a small Rhode Island town. His deft compositions use expanses of white page to convey snowdrifts and winter sky. The snow is so deep that the front door won't open, and John and his sister have to leave through the window. In another couple of days, when food supplies dwindle, "I realized it was up to me to take action.... I was the only one who knew what equipment was required." Making snowshoes out of tennis rackets, young John sets off for the grocery store. An epic gatefold spread shows his path through the neighborhood, with distractions duly noted ("Made an angel"; "Joined a snowball fight"). The store owners greet him kindly, and he drags his grocery-laden sled home in triumph, distributing food to his neighbors and providing for his family. A nostalgic air of Americana permeates the story, and John's eagerness to be a hero and his display of Yankee ingenuity offer plenty of satisfaction. Ages 3-5. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative Management. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Recounting a story from his childhood, Rocco sets this picture book during the "Blizzard of `78." At first, young John is ecstatic about the snow; he gets to stay home from school and play outside all day. But as the snow continues to pile up and the food in his house starts to run out, he and his family start to worry. Since he is the only one light enough to walk on top of the snow, he ties tennis rackets to his feet and sets out, walking to the nearest store, comically stopping along the way to help neighbors or to play. He then returns home with groceries for his family and neighbors; soon after the snowplows finally arrive, returning life back to normal. The simple text will be easily accessible to a young audience, and children will enjoy the message that even kids can be heroes in a time of a crisis. Rocco's artwork is as stellar as always; paint-splattered snow give an extra layer of detail to Rocco's already vividly textured backgrounds. The white negative space around some of his images effectively portrays the vastness of the snowstorm in a minimalist way, and the warm, cozy interiors are a lovely contrast. Great for storytime on a cold night.-Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Rocco presents a story of New England's blizzard of 1978, based on his own childhood experience. The same warm family feeling that permeates his Caldecott Honor book Blackout is here, but this time he sticks to a boy's-eye view of the storm. When it becomes clear that the plows aren't coming anytime soon, ten-year-old John and his sister climb out of a first-floor window (the drifting snow has blocked their front door) to explore the snowy world. At first it's all sleds and snow tunnels and hot cocoa, but by the end of the week his family's food supply has run low and our hero springs into action. Inspired by his trusty Arctic Survival book, John fashions snowshoes out of tennis rackets and plans his circuitous route to the store, a mile away. Rocco's digitally colored watercolor and pencil illustrations are suffused with blues and pinks and of course white, bringing that wintry feeling to the fore. Little details -- a poster of Mount Everest, penguin-decorated lamps, days of the week incorporated somewhere into the illustrations to mark the passage of time -- amusingly extend the story. A double gatefold shows the extent of the detours John takes to gather grocery orders from his housebound neighbors and make his way to the store. Readers in all climates will be intrigued by this true story of extreme weather and an intrepid kid saving the day. Think twice before making fun of folks who stock up on supplies when the slightest snowflake is predicted. robin l. smith (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Young readers will be tickled by a young boy's resourcefulness in this story of how he and his family survive a monumental blizzard. The first flake falls on Monday while the young narrator is at school, and by the time he and his sister make it home after being dismissed early, the snow is over their boots. On Tuesday, the family's door won't open, and the kids climb out the window to play outside (though it's too deep for sledding and even walking). Wednesday, Dad shovels, but the snowplows don't come (though the kids can now build snow tunnels and forts). Thursday. Still no plow, and supplies are running low. On Friday, armed with the knowledge gleaned from his Arctic Survival book, John prepares some tennis rackets and his sled and ventures out, stopping at each of the neighbors' houses on his way to and from the store (a very funny map charts his journey and what he does on the way) and singlehandedly bringing everyone something they neededfrom cat food and milk to coffee, candles and peanut butter. The Caldecott honoree's pencil, watercolor and digital paint illustrations are reminiscent of Steven Kellogg in their light and line and detail, and readers will pore over the pages as they vicariously live through a blizzard. An author's note explains that the story is based on his own experience in the New England blizzard of 1978. A kid is the hero in this tale of ingenuity and bravery. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
