Martin MacGregor's Snowman

We didn't really need more books but I took a chance on this and several other winter-themed books. My almost 4yo daughter absolutely loves this book and I have to admit not minding having to read it night after night. The book flows well and is funny on a number of levels, appropriate for a preschooler as well as having enough wit to amuse adults. I definitely didn't mind growing our book collection with this one!

Martin MacGregor is as ingenious as Dennis the Menace always was, as typical a boy as David Shannon's David, and as delightful to read or listen to. I have been reading this aloud for the last week to our pre-K children on the bookmobile and they love it. Teacher's seem to enjoy it as well. Delightfully colorful pictures add to the fun, and this story helps children realize we all make mistakes that land us in trouble. When someone says Martin is bad, I remind them that there are no bad children, only bad choices. This is how we learn. A must for classrooms and libraries.

Irrepressible, ingenious, and probably impossible if you met him in real life, you have to love Martin. Similar to Dennis the Menace in a way, Martin comes up with one inventive project after another that ends in disaster. Each time it lands him in trouble he takes his punishment with aplomb, simply using his "time outs" to continue obsessing about snow and his inability to build a snowman without it. This is what really strikes me about the book--When Martin comes up with one of these ideas, the parents and teachers in the book do not seem shocked or surprised. It's implied that Martin gets himself in trouble on a regular basis, and there is a regular, calm routine to how it is handled. You get the impression that although he is a handful, he is loved for the creative kid that he is and not looked at as a "behavior problem." I find this very refreshing! The Booklist review that refers to sly wit in this book is right on target. I am pleased to say there isn't a saccharine or smarmy page in the book, even at the happy point when snow finally arrives.