Snow

By and large, the general rule guiding picture books and the Caldecott awards they garner is that no children's author/illustrator ever wins the Caldecott Award for their best work. This rule generally applies to all awards, I suppose in some way. Oscar winning actors, actresses, and directors never seem to win for their best films either. But the case seems to be even more extreme when it comes to picture books. Let's take author/illustrator extraordinaire Uri Shulevitz as our example. Now review your Caldecott knowledge and tell me what book earned Shulevitz a Caldecott. If you said, "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship", you are correct. Now, tell me which book Shulevitz both wrote and illustrated which DESERVED the Caldecott Award (not Honor). If you said, "Snow" then you are once more right right right. I recently discovered this charming and thoroughly pleasing little book all on my own and I can tell you here and now that aside from the great "Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats, there is no other book that so skillfully pinpoints the elation a child feels at the first real snowfall of the year. We're in a village. A village where the clouds hang heavy overhead and the only words on the first page are, "The skies are gray. The rooftops are gray. The whole city is gray". The next two-page spread gives a perfect sense of anticipation. Underneath this mono-colored set of stores and houses are the words, "Then......one snowflake". And if you look very very carefully, there's a single spot of white against the gray swelling watercolor that is the sky. A boy in an orange hat points out the flake with delight, his dog by his side. His grandfather, however, doesn't think snow is possible. Then there are two snowflakes (with a man in a hat pish-pishing the possibility). Then there are three snowflakes and a lady with an umbrella proclaims that they'll simply melt. And they do, it's true. "But as soon as one snowflake melts another takes its place". And in spite of the adults and in spite of the radio and in spite of the television, it begins to snow. The boy frolics with his dog and some imaginary friends. And by the time the snow is done the whole city is white but the sky is a brilliant bright sunny blue hue. This is a book about hope. How childish belief can overcome adult nay-sayers and jaded remarks. Never mind that after a few months the kid will want to see anything BUT snow. At this point in time, he's trumped the grown-ups of the world. I especially enjoyed the parts of the book that declared that "snowflakes don't listen to radio, snowflakes don't watch television". What snowflakes do is fall. Shulevitz spares his words for the moments when they are most needed. When they do come, they are brisk and to the point. His boy and dog, on the other hand, are playful and exuberant. This book in some ways resembles nothing so much as a Maurice Sendak story. The frolicking child character is especially Sendakian

This is such a lovely book. Simple text that easily portrays the joy of the season. I initially chose the book for it's stylish illustrations, but have found it has much more to offer. It's a favorite even on a sunny day!

The illustrations in this book capture the mood of snow. The gray sky gives way to more and more and more white snowflakes culminating in a snow covered world. The artwork's gradual buildup of the storm truly evokes the soft, silent feel of snow.

Since I love snow and obviously live in an area where it is a big deal if it does, I was immediately drawn to open the cover of this beautifully illustrated book. I love the simplicity of words and unique fun illustrations. It reads like how a child would think and that's what makes it so beautiful. Since it is not cluttered with too many words, the story allows the reader and the person being read to, to think and use their own thoughts and imagination. The storyline is about a boy's hope and faith that one snowflake will lead to two, and more, despite the unbelieving and cynical opinions of adults who cross his path. I can actually put myself in his shoes and jump right in those pages. I hope my children will grow to love this book like I do. It has become one of my personal treasures.

This book envelops the reader and the simplicity is superb to any children's book I have ever read. It is my boyfriend's favorite book, and he is 18 years old! Keep up the beautiful work, Uri.