Snow Song

by A. K. Riley, Dawn Lo (Illustrator)

Overview

An enchanting story told in rhythmic free verse of a young girl exploring the world on a wintry, snow-filled day.

This beautiful picture book uses rhythmic and sensory free verse to tell the story of a young girl exploring the outdoors on a wintry day. Everywhere she goes, the snow fills her with wonder and delight. There are fine pearls of snow, a twirl of snow, a curl of snow. The sky unravels into snow, the pond lathers up with snow, the hills are knitted caps of snow. All she encounters is framed by the snow. It captivates her, swaddles her world, and makes everything snug — from first light, to the darkness of bedtime.

A. K. Riley has crafted an evocative and playful ode to the winter snow that perfectly captures the magic of a winter’s day for a child. The verse alternates from slow to fast, deftly playing with pace and sure to keep readers engaged. Dawn Lo’s fresh illustrations create a charming visual narrative of snow-filled scenes filled with joy. With a simultaneously classic and contemporary feel, this enchanting read-aloud is perfect for a winter-themed story time, a discussion of poetry, or a classroom unit on the seasons. It also touchingly explores ideas of how communities and friendships are enhanced through shared experiences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781525302350
Publisher:	Kids Can Press
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

A. K. Riley is a seasoned bookseller, storyteller and an author of poetry and short prose. Snow Song is her first book for children. She lives in Burlington, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

A moving-in story for lovers of winter that will last even after the snow has melted.—Kirkus Reviews

Riley offers up rich sensory language: couplets containing words like twirl, curl, swirl, and unfurl easily roll off the tongue like a graceful dance of flurries ...—Quill & Quire

The text of the story and the illustrations work together to create the excited energy of children experiencing snow!—CM Magazine

[A] playful ode to winter fun.—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2020-07-28
Find new friends in a wintry wonderland.

On the title page, a young child with beige skin and short dark hair sits near cardboard boxes still unpacked. On the opening spread, readers see the same child on the building steps, presumably new to the neighborhood. Nevertheless, as the snow begins to fall and children emerge from warm homes with sleds, skates, mittens, and boots, the protagonist soon finds some buddies in a wooded wonderland surrounded by city buildings. Riley’s ebullient, poetic text—“The hills are knitted caps / Of snow”—perfectly captures the ecstatic antics of these bundled children in the “Glittery / Skittery / Tickle me! / Snow.” Then the pace shifts on the following spread, with long vowels that readers will savor and repeat, lingering on each carefully chosen word. Lo’s evocative spreads often shift visual perspective, depicting the snowy day from a bird’s-eye view as well as from amid the snowy drifts, immersing readers in the protagonist’s experience. The illustrations have an ethereal, childlike quality, using soft lines and pastel colors to depict the glittery joy. One spread in particular shows the four children—each with different skin tones and hair color and texture—close up, lying in the snow, happy to be in one another’s company. An excellent read-aloud that can also offer teachers and librarians poetic and artistic examples. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

A moving-in story for lovers of winter that will last even after the snow has melted. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews