SNOWBALL

A spirited companion to Crews's debut, One Hot Summer Day (1995), that begins with endpapers that capture a wintry New York City in 18 city snowscapes arranged in a checkerboard. The excellence of the photo-reportage hints at what is to come: a keen depiction or a child's small adventure with the snow. The weather report predicts snow on Monday, but the girl who narrates must wait until Friday for the scene she's dreaming of. That day, she makes a snowball as she and other children revel in the snow. Interiors show a child's actual room with stuffed animals and a little television; the school scenes reflects New York City's diversity. A dream sequence allows Crews's photo-collage technique to soar; she cuts out the tops of brownstones and uses them to frame the girl in the act of throwing a snowball backward. Every scene is fresh and unpredictable, and the model's face perfectly reflects the exclamations of the caption-like text. It's a short tale entirely from a child's-eye view--from a, child's heart--and a celebration of snow, play, and city.