SNOW DAY

This picture book will challenge, and likely enthrall, young readers with its jagged cadence and wealth of imaginary words, all the while soothing them with Takahashi’s artwork, which, despite the clarity of its color and lines, has an air-brushed softness. The story follows a young girl and her brother on a snow day. Inside the house, all is snuggly; outside, all is blustery: “Wooooo-ooooo! / Wild, whirling wind / Crashes limbs to lines. / Lights dance. Flick-a-lick. / Lights die. Flick-a-flooo.” When the storm passes, the family heads outdoors. “Snow day walk. / Sluggingly, trudgingly slow. / Snow day shovel. / Grunt, push, pick up, pwoosh.” Not all is drudge, as there are sleighs to be ridden and snow angels to be swept. The wind-down is as tender as a lullaby. A minor clash develops between Takahashi’s warm-hearted illustrations and Plourde’s at times unmusical, eccentric text, but Takahashi creates a common ground by investing the children with owlish eyeballs. And she has caught the magic of a snow day, one of childhood’s unexpected gifts, to give the story a natural buoyancy. (Picture book. 2-5)