Reviews for First snow
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
A family of rabbits enjoys the first snow of the season by playing in the meadow and observing the other animals and humans. The large impressionistic illustrations suit the simple text and convey the vastness of the cold scene, but the animals' cute facial expressions are sometimes jarring. The book sets a scene rather than telling a story. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
PreS-Gr 2-This appealing story looks at the arrival of a new season through the eyes of a bunny and his siblings as they venture out during the first snowfall of winter. Ford's text has a poetic rhythm that emphasizes the senses as the rabbits explore their wintry world. The book works well for both reading aloud and as a story that beginning readers will be able to tackle independently. The large text and charming visual clues will win many fans. Braun's illustrations, especially of the bouncing bunnies with their flopping ears, are particularly engaging and complement the story wonderfully. The palette consisting of blues and whites allows the animals and the snowy meadow to shine under the light of a full moon. Leave room on your shelves and in your next winter-themed storyhour for First Snow.-Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
PreS. Ford and Braun get it just right in a book for young children who, like the characters here, are also experiencing their first snow. A gray, misty two-page spread marked by bare trees matches the first words: It is dark--a winter's night. / The moon is bright, barely there behind a lazy haze of gray. On the next pages the palette turns a wintry purple as the snowflakes fall. Burrowed under the snow are Bunny and his siblings, nestled next to their mother, dreaming of grass. But Bunny awakes and goes outside to sniff the air, and the snow entices him. Then his brothers and sisters come out to explore the snow and watch the nighttime. Squirrels gather pinecones; a wolf prowls. In the distance are houses: Smoke and smells curl up and out of the chimneys. Children play, and the bunnies follow suit, stumbling and tumbling in the snow. Ford's artful text is both fluid and evocative, yet it's right at a child's level in both word choice and premise. The rabbits have a stuffed-animal look, but the landscapes are so lovely that the whole book is elevated. Let little ones experience what it's like to be out in the wide, white expanse of a starry, starry night. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2005 Booklist
