Toby and the Snowflakes

I gave this book to all the small children in our family. Children and parents alike loved it. It's a great book - certainly worth picking up. Toby learns an important lesson about friendship in an understated way.

In a nearly empty beige room, illuminated by a single lamp, young Toby looks at a baseball lying on the rug-his best friend moved away just yesterday. On Toby's left hand is the only thing that his friend left behind, a "baseball glove that smells like Parmesan cheese. Too soon, he checks the mailbox for a letter, and from the mailbox end, we see a gigantic empty container, with Tony peering into it. "'Empty.' Toby sighs," maybe a little like e feels. Who can take the place of Toby? Who will he play with now? While perhaps no one can really take the place of Toby, the possibilities of new friendships arrive in the shape of snowflakes. As they land around him, each one invites Toby to play: "Some tell jokes. Others talk about movies they have seen. One snowflake wishes for a warm piece of pecan pie...A snowflake voice calls out, `Come play in us. Be our friend.'" At their invitation, the now smiling Toby play sin the snow, makes a snowman whom he calls Dennis. But soon, the snow begins to melt, including the snowman (on whom he has put his friend's baseball glove). Toby is baffled and confused, but again, a snowflake answers Toby's question, "Why is everybody leaving?" "...this is what we do. We snow, we disappear, we come back again. It is the nature of the snowflake." Perhaps it is also the nature of friends. As the book concludes, Toby finds a new friend. It's not his best friend-not yet, anyway-but his name is Gary, he likes baseball, and at home he has a glove that "smells like cheddar cheese." As they walk off to a potentially beautiful new relationship, the smiling Toby waves fondly to the slowly melting snowman, who smiles back at him. This is a simple yet poignant story about change and transition by the wife and husband team of Julie Halpern (author) and Matthew Cordell (illustrator). The narrative is appropriately straightforward and emotions are described simply but directly, except for the snowman, a projection of Toby's feelings for his friend that perhaps only older children will "get." Cordell captures Toby's feelings through facial expression and the composition of the watercolor illustrations. Toby himself is appealingly rounded and soft looking, like a toy doll. The clean lines and minimalism are also effectively used in the landscapes, and Cordell `s use of superimposed purple font for the snowflakes' words makes their speech clear and believable. In a book dealing with complex emotions, Cordell and author Halpern have stripped away distracting embellishments, focusing instead on the fundamental emotional and narrative elements. At the same time, the book isn't too simple; it's an absorbing story that abstracts Toby's many feelings in a creative and soft manner.

This innocent and subtle story deals with the concept of loss in a way that allows children (and adults) to realize that it is a part of life and that it can be overcome with time and when you open yourself up to new people and experiences. This is something every child should know. I can't wait to locate a baseball glove and smell it! Bravo to Julie Halpern and Matthew Cordell, a married duo, for their success with their first-time collaboration!

The story is sweet and funny, and the illustrations are beautiful and whimsical. A great choice for all kids.

This is a story that respects the feelings and imagination of children. Toby loses his best friend, and in his loneliness, the snow fills in the gap of a good friend. Narrative, by Julie Halpern, and pictures, by Matt Cordell, work seamlessly together in this tender story of a little kid left behind when his best friend moves. This is a book that calls out for a little one to sit on the lap for reading and talking about the pictures. It is a delight!