SNOWMEN AT NIGHT
by Caralyn Buehner & illustrated by Mark Buehner
The work of this husband-and-wife team best known for The Escape of Marvin the Ape (1992) is always special; here it comes together in a delightful story about the nocturnal activities of snowmen that is refreshingly original and visually sparkling. Author Buehner imagines why snowmen may not look the same as they had the day before. While children sleep, their snowy creations gather for winter fun that includes ice-skating on a pond, hilltop sledding, and an enthusiastic snowball fight. The illustrative Buehner uses oil paints over acrylics to bring this idea to dazzling life. Primary colors delicately form the winter wonderland where the secret, active life of these frozen friends is grinningly revealed. A palette of blues and yellows painted against one another create depth and shadow while illuminating the night and casting a moonlit glow on the scenery. Perhaps the use of color to create light will assist young readers in their search for images of Santa Claus faces, rabbits, and dinosaurs that are hidden in the scenes. It would be difficult not to fall in love with this rollicking flight of imagination created by a terrific combination of talent. (Picture book. 2-6)