PICK OF THE LITERATURE
— by Dr. Donna Phillips
I
t’s time to say “Farewell to Win-
ter”! But before we start celebrat-
ing Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day,
the First Day of Spring, Purim, and the
start of Daylight Savings time, we still
have time to have a last Snow Celebra-
tion! So if you are still looking for a way
to enjoy the last of our Buffalo winter,
here are some books that will be sure to
keep you entertained and distracted until
spring truly arrives.
Little Owl’s Snow (Viking, New York
2019, $17.99), written and illustrated by
Divya Stininasan, is the perfect reminder
of the magic of snow. This book takes us
back to the first indications that snow is
on its way through the eyes of Little Owl
and his first winter. All of his friends are
busy preparing for something, but what is
it? Soon frosty crystals begin to fall from
the sky and Little Owl begins to under-
stand why. Through beautiful illustrations
and soft words, we recall the magic of the
first snow and the silence that follows.
While all of nature sleeps, it readies itself
for what is to come when spring arrives.
This gentle book will make you appreci-
ate the winter you may be anxious to see
end, and maybe even help you slow down
to appreciate what it has to offer. Soon we
will hear the “Tap…Tap” of “an icicle drip
on a patch of slush.” But for now, we still
have “time to enjoy the snow.”
This is the time of year to celebrate the
last of the snow with snow games! That is
just what happens in Princess Snowbelle
and the Snow Games (Bloomsbury, New
York, 2019, $16.99), written and illustrat-
ed by Libby Frost. All are excited for the
games to begin between the neighboring
kingdoms. The snow is perfect, the day is
beautiful, and the teams are well matched.
But as the competition heats up, things
start to go wrong. The games are soon
headed toward disaster until they all agree
to pool their talents for the final competi-
tion… the Snow Sculpture Event. In the
end they all share in the rewards, especial-
ly knowing that “they all worked together
as a team.” If you have snow games in
your March plans, this would be a great
story to share to get them started!
Just as the animals in Little Owl’s
Snow were snuggling down for a win-
ter nap, Hedgehog in The Snowy Nap
(G.P.Putnam’s Sons, New York 2018,
$18.99) is doing the same. Jan Brett has
done it again in this richly illustrated tale
of one of her favorite animals. As Hedge-
hog makes the final rounds of the farm-
yard before he goes off to his nap, we are
introduced to how his friends are prepar-
ing for winter through Brett’s classic use
of windowpane illustrations and fore-
shadowing. But before he can even make
his way to a cozy burrow, Hedgehog is
too cold to move. Fortunately, Lisa finds
him and takes him into the house where
she prepares a snug bed on the window
sill for him to recover. From his perch, he
views the wonders of the winter but soon
he is ready to go back to his own burrow
to await the coming of spring. Richly de-
tailed paintings add to the interest and ap-
peal of this adorable tale, and it reminds
us that it is not too late for us to get a
few more cozy naps in while we wait for
warmer days to come.
For those who are tired of winter nap-
ping, Garden Party (Frederick Warne &
Company, New York, 2019, $7.99) by Cic-
ely Mary Barker might be just what you
need while you await the arrival of spring.
The beautifully detailed illustrations in
this book, which is part of the Flower
Fairies series, will draw the reader into
the imaginative world of fairies where you
are invited to join them in a Garden party.
The only things missing from this party
are some of the details, and you are asked
to fill them in using the stickers provided.
Having to match the shapes and colors of
the stickers to the empty spaces will take
you deeper into the details of their magi-
cal world. This book is a delight and will
have you looking for the first signs of
spring for sure!
Whether you are outdoors enjoying
that last of winter or staying inside to wait
it out, there are many books to keep you
amused or prepared for what might be yet
to come. Spring is just around the corner
and the quiet time of winter is about to
explode with the frenzy of the new sea-
son. Until then, stay warm and rest up for
Spring!
Dr. Donna Phillips is an associate pro-
fessor in the College of Education at Ni-
agara University where her specialty is
literacy and children’s literature. She lives
on Grand Island, NY and is the mother of
two adult children and the grandmother of
one.
March 2019 WNY Family 55