FROM MY WINDOW

Looking out the windows of his building in a multi-ethnic brownstone neighborhood on the morning after a snowstorm, a delighted little boy sees snow-covered buildings and trees, adults digging out, children playing, snowplows, salt trucks, and finally a friend with a sled. By this time, he's dressed, has had breakfast, has brushed his teeth, and is ready to go out and play. This simplest of stories is told in brief, repetitive text for either very young listeners or beginning readers. The full-bleed spreads alternate between views below the window and radiant interior scenes of the boy's family; these are full of rich color and large, deliberately outlined forms. Unusual details reward leisurely scrutiny: the little boy's unique purple hat with swinging blue pompons, a Siamese cat being walked on a leash and wearing a striped sweater, a snow-capped barbecue grill left out on a rooftop, a snowman's bright yellow necktie. Even the endpaper design, swirling white flecks against a marbled grey-blue, contributes to the theme. An amiable book and wintry tribute to one of childhood's happiest experiences. (Picture book. 2-6)