'S No Fun? Winter Is For Snow by Robert Neubecker

WINTER IS WONDERFUL.
WINTER IS FOR SNOW!

Big brother is a world class snow enthusiast. Waking up and seeing the snow covering the town sets him off into a frenzy of suiting up for a day in the snow.

His sister? Not so much.

WINTER IS COLD AND DAMP.
IT MUST BE TEN BELOW!

LEAVE ME ALONE!

Sis's idea of a snow day is no day in the snow, a day to stay inside with her iPad and central heating! It's almost a snow impasse, but big brother's passion gradually coaxes his sister into parka, mittens, and boots. He sweetens the deal by giving her a ride down the snowy street on his toboggan as he points out the glories of snow and rhapsodizes about the fun they are going to have.

WINTER IS FOR SNOWBALL FIGHTS,
FOR SLEDDING DOWN THE HILLS.
WINTER IS FOR SKATING RINGS
AND SPEEDY CHILLY THRILLS.

Sis grudgingly sits on the sled, but she still has to voice her opinion.

I'D RATHER WATCH A SHOW!

But winter works its wonders even on this snow resistor as the two reach the park and join the other kids in the fun of a day of snow play. Sis takes her turn sledding down the hill, building a snow fort, socking her brother with a snowball, and catching snowflakes on her tongue with delight, finally agreeing that snow's not so bad after all. Winter is for snow, and the two stick it out until it begins to get dark in the park, in Robert Neubecker's Winter Is for Snow (Hyperion, 2013).

Neubecker's homey cityscape filling up with snow appears somehow appealingly warm and inviting, despite his little sister's nay-saying, and the author's page design sets up a humorous bit of sibling rivalry by setting the dialog in different colors. It is a nice twist on the snowy day theme which gives snow lovers and snow avoiders their say and ends, as should all snowy day sagas, with hot chocolate and a warm and cozy window with snow continuing to come down outside. Even the book's cover, with its textured, sparkly flakes, makes the case for snow. School Library Journal calls this one a "simple, rhythmic paean to a city snowfall."

Whose Woods These Are...: When It Snows by Richard Collingridge

WHEN IT SNOWS... ALL THE CARS AND TRUCKS AND TRAINS DISAPPEAR.

SO I FOLLOW THE FOOTPRINTS UNTIL I FIND A NEW WAY TO GET AROUND.

A young boy, bundled up and taking his Teddy out to explore the snow, wonders at the drifted-over shapes that have turned all those vehicles into immobile mounds of white. Then he spots some unknown but intriguing footprints on the city sidewalks and begins to follow.

Thus far, Richard Collingridge's lovely When It Snows (Feiwel & Friends, 2013) might be just a cityscaped reconceptualization of Ezra Jack Keats' classic The Snowy Day, as a young child experiences the wondrous changes of a first snowfall.

But when this boy follows those mysterious footprints into unknown territory, we know we're not in Kansas anymore. This is a wholly different snow scene, as the source of the tracks turns out to be a polar bear who gives the boy a ride to a place where a very tall snowman beckons, and a bright light leads him into a dark evergreen forest. And there he meets the Queen of the Poles, sumptuously robed in regal furs, who brings forth such sights as glowing fairies, a multitude of elves, and a team of giant reindeer who cluster around a rather familiar-looking sleigh.

Is it that this boy possesses great powers of imagination, or could this place already exist, somewhere contained within a familiar cover? Lest kids wonder how to access this winter wonderland, the answer lies in an ending which may not surprise adults reading aloud but may be a revelation of sorts for youngsters. Collingridge's illustrations allow the eye to luxuriate in the loveliness of soft snowfall, the coziness of the child's own room at last, and plenty of room for dreaming of winter-time adventures.

Publishers Weekly puts it glowingly, "Newcomer Collingridge’s paintings are sumptuous and absorbing, creating a genuine sense of magic."