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SNOW by Manya Stojic

SNOW

by Manya Stojic & illustrated by Manya Stojic

Pub Date: Nov. 12th, 2002
ISBN: 0-375-82348-4
Publisher: Knopf

Stojic (Hello World, above, etc.) paints this gentle anticipation and enjoyment of a snowfall in breezy, broad strokes. On each spread, an animal comments on the upcoming weather event, beginning with owl: “ ‘The snow is coming,’ she said wisely. ‘I know snow.’ ” Geese, a moose, a bear, several hares, and a fox also have snow-related things to say. The text is spare, a few short sentences per spread; the animals are painted as close-ups, each taking up most of a page. In a brilliant, subtle use of the color white, delicate brush strokes sweep through the opening pages, evoking the chilly breeze that comes before snow. Where is the snow, though? On the spread when it finally snows, the nighttime background is dark, allowing only individual flakes to be seen; turn the page, however, and morning has come, revealing expanses of snow that cover ground, evergreens, and the sides of tree trunks. The sudden visual surprise of turning from a blue-black nighttime spread to a white-dominated daytime beautifully mirrors the feeling of waking up in the morning and finding the landscape magically transformed. In this landscape, each animal gets a spread to react to the change: exuberant bunnies frolic, their newly-white winter fur matching the snow perfectly; the fox bristles because he “ ‘looks like fire . . . against this white snow’ ”; the bear drifts into hibernation; and the smiling moose delightedly sniffs the crisp air. This snowfall is both exciting and peaceful. (Picture book. 2-5)