Books make the best gifts. I may be a little biased, but I love giving books as gifts. I think they offer a personal connection. You are either saying, I loved this book and I think you will too. Or, I know you love cats, science, history, etc so I thought this would be a great book for you. It means you have listened to them when they have shared something with you and that you took the time to notice. To see all the posts in this series, click HERE.
FIRST SNOW
By: Nancy Viau
Illustrated by: Talitha Shipman
Published: September 1, 2018
Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company
Fiction
I always looked forward to that first snowfall of the year. We’d bundle up our kids, get out the sleds, and go outside for some fun in the snow. A snowman in the front yard was a requirement as well. Nancy Viau takes all the joy of that first snowfall for kids and puts it into this sweet story for the earliest readers.
With rhyming prose and limited words the true beauty of the story is in the illustrations. They are soft, sweet, adorable, and show the joy children feel when playing in the snow. The beagle puppy is just the cutest. The illustrator also uses children from various races showing that all children can play together. Once the playtime in the snow is over, the best part is cookies and hot cocoa. Again, the rhyming text is simple yet so creative.
Having this book in your home library to take out and celebrate the first snowfall of each year can be a fun tradition. Kids will love reminiscing about their days in the snow with each reread. Get your youngest readers excited about the first big snowfall with this sweet book.
Check out the book trailer for FIRST SNOW:
Nancy Viau is the author of five picture books, including City Street Beat, Storm Song, and Look What I Can Do! Her middle-grade novels include her new release, Beauty and Bernice, along with Just One Thing! (2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Award Winner), Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head (to be reissued in the spring of 2019), and Something is Bugging Samantha Hansen (fall 2019). As a member of the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature, Nancy volunteers with other council members to produce the Rutgers One-on-One Plus Conference every year. She works as an assistant librarian, and when not reading or writing, she hikes, bikes, and travels wherever her frequent flyer miles take her. To learn more, and to download a free Story Hour kit for First Snow, visit her website, NancyViau.com. To see all of her books, click HERE.
Twitter: @NancyViau1
Talitha Shipman graduated with an MFA in illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2008. She’s illustrated several books, including You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie, Everybody Says Shalom, and Applesauce Day. Talitha lives in Indiana with her husband, daughter, and dog. She can be found at talithashipman.com.
To purchase a copy of FIRST SNOW, click the photo below:
I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama’s regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children’s and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.
Other great books and posts about snow for kids:
SPACE BOY AND THE SNOW MONSTER
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this books for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.
Posted Under Book Review, Books as Gifts, Children's books, fiction, Kid Konnection, Nancy Viau, snow, Talitha Shipman, winter
I love the beagle, too, especially since I had one when I was very young. And cool fact: he wasn’t in the original, but ended up in a revision. The same thing happened for another book, Storm Song. I love THAT dog, too!
We always hope for no snow each year but I still think this book looks adorable.