Synopses & Reviews
While “helping” his mother with holiday housecleaning, a boy keeps a watchful eye on the progress of a winter storm. Hes hoping for a big snow. A really big snow. Inside, he is underfoot, turning sheet-changing and tub-scrubbing into imaginary whiteouts. Outside, flakes are flying. But over the course of a long day (for Mom) the clouds seem slow on delivering a serious snowfall. Then comes a dreamy naptime adventure, marking just the beginning of high hopes coming true in this irresistible seasonal story.
Review
From The Wall Street Journal:
The turn of the season often elicits from children the first wistful conversations about snow: When will it come? How much will there be? These are the questions that consume a preschooler in Jonathan Bean's quietly lovely "Big Snow" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 32 pages, $16.99). Trailing his mother about the house as she cooks and cleans, "helping" her so enthusiastically that he doubles the work, little David wonders about the weather. As flakes begin to cover the streets, and David's excitement grows, we alternate between snug indoor scenes and the sight of the child's neighborhood disappearing—at last!—beneath a heavy blanket of white. A glimpse of the end of autumn, if not quite yet.
"This delightful picture book charts a childs excitement over the imminent arrival of a snowstorm. . .This wonderful tale begs to be read aloud." -- School Library Journal
“This is another terrific offering from Bean (Building Our House); his subtly rhythmic prose and elegant, astute watercolors hit just the right notes of comedy, suspense, and fantasy.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
*"Winters chills, rituals and resulting familial closeness, rendered in simple, surprisingly poignant drawings, make this a perennial read at first frost." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Bean (Building Our House, 2013) uses soft pastels to depict a warm kitchen, loving parents, and a yellow cat, whose presence can be spied on every page." -- BCCB
"Beans superbly patterned text builds anticipation, and his pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations make clear links between what is going on in Davids imagination and what is happening out in the real world. The warm illustrations showing brown-skinned Davids cozy home provide a nice contrast to the occasional wordless double-page spread showing the outdoors, with an ever-increasing amount of snow. Young readers are sure to identify with Davids longing and excitement." - The Horn Book
Review
* andquot;The patience required to converse with a small person who wants to dictate every part of the interaction is sure to be familiar to parents, but the poetic text rises above the mundane and captures the beauty, energy, and innocence of these conversations and holds them up for readers to appreciate without becoming saccharine or trite.andquot;
andmdash;School Library Journal, starred review
* andquot;Their simple back-and-forth dialogue speaks volumes about their strong father-daughter bond. As endearing and joyful as it is to read Waberand#39;s words aloud, it is Leeand#39;s illustrations that make this title truly special...Sublimely satisfying.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus, starred review
andquot;This vicarious outing is an excellent model of one-on-one interaction that might inspire young listeners to form their own questions. An easy text for new readers, it could also help tuck in a toddler with a sweet good night.andquot;
andmdash;Horn Book Magazine
andquot;Leeand#39;s expressive artwork has a naive feel, well suited to Waberand#39;s childlike narration...the love this father and daughter share comes through loud and clear.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist
* andquot;The easygoing verbal exchange and affectionate visuals celebrate a close father-daughter relationship while recognizing beauty in everyday simplicity.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly, starred review
and#160;
Synopsis
An excited and frustrated boy watches hopefully as wintry weather develops slowly into a "big snow."
While "helping" his mother with holiday housecleaning, a boy keeps a watchful eye on the progress of a winter storm. He's hoping for a big snow. A really big snow. Inside, he is underfoot, turning sheet-changing and tub-scrubbing into imaginary whiteouts. Outside, flakes are flying. But over the course of a long day (for Mom) the clouds seem slow on delivering a serious snowfall. Then comes a dreamy naptime adventure, marking just the beginning of high hopes coming true in this irresistible seasonal story.
Synopsis
A heart-warming and inviting picture book with a tenderly written story by Bernard Waber, and glorious illustrations by Suzy Lee,
Ask Me is the ultimate celebration of a childand#8217;s curiosity, and a father and daughterand#8217;s deep and abiding love for each other.
Synopsis
Ask me what I like?
What do you like?
A father and daughter walk through their neighborhood, brimming with questions as they explore their world. With so many things to enjoy, and so many ways to askandmdash;and talkandmdash;about them, itand#39;s a snapshot of an ordinaryand#160;day in a world thatand#39;s anything but. This story is a heartwarming and inviting picture book with a tenderly written story by Bernard Waber and glorious illustrations by Suzy Lee.
About the Author
Bernard Waber was the beloved author of more than thirty books for young readers, including Courage, Ira Sleep Over, and The Mouse That Snored. With the publication of The House on East 88th Street in 1963, his Lyle the Crocodile became a mainstay of childrenand#8217;s literature, and the adventures of this endearing reptile were featured in numerous books. Because of their honesty, their bravery, and their tremendous heart, his stories and illustrations have been beloved by generations of children