SNOW KISSES

The joys of winter, indoors and out, celebrated from a toddler’s perspective.

This appealing board book reminds toddlers that there’s plenty of cause for excitement in the coming of winter. The simple, rhymed text is reminiscent, in both meter and enthusiasm, of the writing of Sandra Boynton: “Snow is falling! Winter is here! / Let’s all give a snowflake cheer!” Snowflakes adorn each page of the book. Pages of text face scenes of the wintry activities described, both outdoors (sledding, skiing, and snowball fights) and indoors (curling up in a warm blanket and drinking hot cocoa or cuddling on the couch after a day of outdoor play). Each scene features sweetly rendered animals at play or at rest, from snow-appropriate creatures such as penguins and polar bears to cats, ducks, tigers, and, perhaps most inexplicably of all, honeybees on skis. The animals are expressive and engaging; colors are muted pastels of light pink, purple, blue, or snowy white. The book’s tone is uniformly upbeat, emphasizing the fun to be had outdoors with friends and indoors, snuggling with family and enjoying the cozy warmth of home after a busy day of playing in the snow. The final scenes set the stage nicely for bedtime, with polar-bear goodnight nuzzles and a tired penguin tucked into bed, dreaming of snow kisses (“good night, sleepyhead”).

A winter winner.