Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Calgary is ‘enjoying’ a winter-wonder-land at the moment; seemingly, arriving within a couple of days over the holiday break.

Lots and lots and lots of fluffy snow, everywhere.

This is the perfect time to bring out the picture books that are about snow.

April Pulley Sayre’s latest offering, Best in Snow would be one such book. 

I do love her books.

This one also includes stunning photographs which draws the reader into a simple poem that incorporates the beauty of winter while giving us tantalizing bits of information about snow.

First, the photos: really gorgeous. Her images capture the jagged edge beauty of frost and ice crystals perfectly; the soft, lightness of the snow itself as it gently but irrefutably accumulates or the way wind and light can make the air bright and sparkly as if filled with polished gems.

Secondly, the poem: With so few words, the author is able to create a landscape that becomes redefined by the snow. Woodland birds and animals are shown within this landscape, adding depth to her words as the reader sees how life goes on. Nothing is static. Warming temperatures change the qualities of the snow and shows that within the bigger seasonal cycles there are lots of mini-cycles, too.

And last, are the information pages at the back of the book that make this a terrific book for connecting science and poetry. Each line is given some explanation and shows us how important snow is and where it fits into the hydrologic cycle.

I highly recommend this for elementary grades.

Other snow books that I love and worth checking out, include:

Blizzard by John Rocco 

Red sled by Lita Judge

Snow sounds by David Johnson

Winter bees and other poems of the cold by Joyce Sidman 

Stay warm.