Pfister gets into the head and heart of a puppy experiencing the wonders of his first snow, as well as the heartache of his first time being lost.
Left home alone, the forlorn Rascal suddenly notices white specks falling from the sky. They are a lot like the white stuff that came out of a pillow once before. He cleverly makes his escape from the house but is quickly distracted from his investigation by a small, brown hopping animal. Having searched out the rabbit’s burrow—but failing in his efforts at making a new friend—it isn’t long before he is completely lost, cold, wet and hungry. Luckily, his nose leads him to a Christmas-tree harvester who lets him tag along with him to the town marketplace and a serendipitous reunion with Rascal’s family. Getting into the Christmas spirit of thankfulness and generosity, the family invites the man home for dinner. Rascal is a big-nosed scamp, full of curiosity and joy. Pfister’s scenes are speckled throughout with the falling snow, wintry whites contrasting with the forest browns.
This nicely captures a puppy’s (or a child’s) distractibility, and the Christmas tie-in adds the moral that Pfister’s books never lack. (Picture book. 4-8)
