Cold Snap

by Eileen Spinelli, Marjorie Priceman (Illustrations)

Warm up with this charming neighborly tale about a small town determined to beat the deep freeze from a beloved picture-book author and a two-time Caldecott Honor illustrator!
 
It’s snowy cold in the town of Toby Mills. The thermometer is sinking toward zero, and the icicle hanging from the nose of General Toby’s statue is growing closer to the ground. The newspaper headline reads “COLD SNAP!” The people of the town are losing hope—and the feeling in their toes—until the mayor’s wife saves the day with a toasty treat.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Storytime, Kids, Christmas, Nature

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 9, 2012

About the author

Eileen Spinelli is an award-winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania. She has written over 100 picture books and novels for children. Her husband is Jerry Spinelli, who also writes books for children.

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really fond of this book. I really liked it.

The illustrations are so detailed and it’s fun to look at everything on every page. I love the art style, especially the way animals are depicted. The bright, multiple colors are really eye catching. There is a bit of a Where’s Waldo aspect on many pages. All the paintings are fun and readers/listeners can take a great deal of time viewing each page.

The story is so sweet, and it shows a real sense of community in a small town of people who obviously know one another. I love how people are kind to and take care of each other, the dogs, cats, birds, and even the mice. I love the bits of humor throughout.

Of course, I could feel cozy reading it when it’s sunny and 60 degrees outside. I’m not sure it would be as appealing to readers living through the depths of winter and who might be sick of snow and yearning for spring.

I checked the copyright date because it has the feel of a classic, but it’s a new book from 2012.

I appreciated the inclusion of the 2 ingredients recipe at the end of the book for maple sugar and fresh clean snow candy, and it’s careful to include in the directions what children vs. adults can do to safely make it, and eat it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The residents of a charming small town face a cold snap (each day of the week the temperature drops even more, and the icicle on nose of city's founder's statue grows ever nearer the ground!) and try to find ways to battle the chill. From ice and snow and a record-breaking zero-degrees mark to cozy mittens, hot chocolate, and the wonderful city-wide celebration at week's end, I felt both the chill of the outdoors and the warmth of camaraderie and resourcefulness throughout this book. The small-town vibe is a delight and presents a sort of timeless feel to the story, and some readers will appreciate that church services are included amongst the week's activities. A worthy addition to winter-themed picture books.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The small town of Toby Mills, named after its founder General Toby, whose statue stands in the town square, experiences a cold snap in this charming wintry picture-book from author Eileen Spinelli and illustrator Marjorie Priceman. As the temperature drops and drops, the townsfolk go from happy enjoyment - the kids sledding and building snowmen, everyone partaking of hot soup and stew at Sullivan Diner - to irritation at the continued cold, and their constant efforts to stay warm. The, their mayor, conscious of their slackening morale, organizes a wonderful community event...

With the recent snowstorms here in the northeast U.S., and the continued low temperatures, Cold Snap couldn't have come at a better time in my reading schedule. I definitely identified with the freezing residents of Toby Mills, and found the tale of their wintertime doings engaging. The vibrant artwork, done by Marjorie Priceman in gouache, is colorful and appealing, capturing the community's active lifestyle. I don't know that it really speaks of winter to me - something more restrained, in paler shades, would better capture the beauty of the snowy world, I think - but then, it's depicting people in winter, rather than a winter landscape. All in all, this was a sweet little wintertime book, and is recommended to young readers looking for seasonal fare.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is cold in the town of Toby Mills. COLD. COLD. It's even cold inside, and every day, it's getting even colder. Pretty soon, no one is going to feel like doing anything at all. It's a good thing the mayor's wife is a smart lady, because she comes up with a terrific idea for the whole town to enjoy (which I wasn't really expecting, and made a great ending).

A recipe for "Miss Dove's Sugar-on-Snow Candy" is included at the end of the book, and I'm sure there will be plenty of homes and classrooms trying out this super-simple treat. We've made snow ice cream my whole life, but never maple sugar-on-snow. I think I need to at least try it, now.

Eileen Spinelli is always a refreshing choice for me. There's something very genuine about her work, and it usually makes me happy by the time a story is wrapped up. The way Marjorie Priceman's illustrations fill up every page makes me happy, too. Everything about this little picture book was a happy surprise for me. Elementary classrooms studying winter will want to use this one.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toby Mills hasn't seen a cold snap last so long in ... well, nobody can remember when; but the Mayor's wife comes up with an idea to get everyone's mind off of the cold.

A fun look at the delightful characters of Toby Mills. Illustrations pop with wonderful color and imagery!

Ages: 4 - 8

Cleanliness: nothing to note.

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[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman, follows the beginning, middle, and end of a chilly winter cold snap, featuring the clever idea that warms people up.

Priceman's colorful illustrations were created using gouache on watercolor paper. My favorite images include cover, endpapers, playing kids, boots crunching, church sermon, Monday, Wednesday, climbing hill, bonfire and candy.

This tale definitely captures the feel of a small town, which I really enjoyed. While some may feel the text is a bit long, I enjoyed the weaving of variety of characters, a growing icicle, and townsfolk coping with freezing temps who try to help others. The growing icicle is a cute image, though icicles don't grow during cold weather but when it gets above freezing. The recipe for sugar-on-snow candy looks tempting. This may work best one-on-one so that the illustratins can be studied and enjoyed. This cozy, comforting story should please readers and listeners.

For ages 5 to 8, winter, snow, ice, cold, community, weather, seasons, small-town, and fans of Eileen Spinelli and Marjorie Priceman.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

While, I enjoyed the colorful illustrations and the true to life illustration of the hot water bottles brought a smile of remembrance to my face, I really think this is a remembering picture book for adults. Actually it reminds me of the book, White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt. Two more points the story is too long and that icicle on the General's face is not going to grow longer as it gets colder--it takes some melting temps to produce water to freeze and an icicle to form and grow.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for teaching small moments or want to highlight excellent word choices. This would be good for kids to get ideas in a writing workshop.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here is my opinion of how well it's functioning as a picture book, below I'll address how it made me feel as a reader: The illustrations are very general and unspecific for much of the book and don't feel designed to be "read." This sort of picture approach can work with truly exceptional text, for example JooHee Yoon's Beastly Verse. But I think it can be taken for granted how much of the story takes place in the pictures in picture books. And not in a nebulous "vibes" kind of way, but in a way where the pictures contain specific cues in terms of reading order, specific and extra details not found in the text, repetitions that help us understand the continuity of events, include sensory experiences that help us emotionally connect to the words, etc. I don't feel this book has truly exceptional text, nor a particularly compelling story.

I also agree that it almost feels absurdly over the top in how the characters act, but not in an ironic, fun way. I think bringing some stronger specificity to the characters and their actions would have helped, because everything feels a bit generic. Maybe it's because neither the author nor the pictures have sold me on the specialness of the actions. I don't know.

Anyway, my personal feelings as a reader was that, as another reader pointed out, this feels more like a remembering story for adults than a book for children. I think it has funny moments, but it doesn't make me feel much. It just feels like a big list of stuff, with no visual or word games, no particularly salient sensory experiences, no absurdity or funny gags. I feel frustrated, because I do like the premise. I'm not even bothered by the impossible icicle like other reviewers.

[Xena Elektra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly expected the temperature to be something worth all the drama. Instead it doesn't hit 0 until the end of the week. Even then I was like... wait a minute, that's it??? Where do these people live that a week in the teens would involve them getting all whiny and acting like they'd forgotten what warmth ever was.

I also had to point out to my kids that the icicle would not in fact be getting longer on the statue because icicle's don't work like that(as other reviewers mentioned). Also it hits 15 degrees and now it's balmy and stuff is melting? I'd hope the author would know at what point the weather would be at the point of melting.

Overall not a great kids book and had inaccuracies that even as an adult made me be like okay, really?

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An icicle grows from the town founder's nose to the ground over the course of a week as it gets colder and colder. Of course it is a statue! Kids look forward to bath time. Dogs beg to wear coats they previously disdained. Cats don hand knit sweaters. The mayor wears his bunny slippers at work. All struggle to keep warm as temperatures hit zero.

I found this so charming, especially the bright colorful watercolour drawings by Marjorie Priceman. My cleaning lady reshuffled a pile of books, placing it on top to catch my eye. Perfect for a day where it was 29°F when I came home.

Deliberate? Maybe.

[Jo Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little book about a sweet community of people - and animals - who care about one another during a major Cold Snap!

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really cold in the town of Toby Mills. At first the kids enjoyed playing in the snow, but the temperature keeps dropping and the townspeople are freezing. The icicle on the statue of the town's founder (General Toby)'s nose keeps growing each day and the temperature keeps dropping! The townsfolk are having problems, Mr. Moffat was stuck on the train for 2 hours because the doors froze shut. People are slipping on the ice. The chilly wind blew kids off the playground swings! As it gets colder and colder, the townspeople (and their pets) do everything they can to stay warm. The townspeople complain to the mayor, but what can he do? Then the mayor's wife hatches a plan to thaw everyone out.

BRRR - I got chills just reading this book! I love the story about all the townspeople and how they deal with the COLD. The mayor's wife's solution was an awesome ending to the story. I won't give it away, but I will say that it was a great way to lift the townsfolk's spirits (and warm them up). The story makes you feel happy. :) The illustrations are amazing, you can feel the cold in them too! The picture I have of the cover of the book doesn't show how frosty it is. It is actually all sparkly and it gives it a very pretty effect. There is also a great recipe at the end of the book that you use snow to make...all I need now is snow for it - LET IT SNOW! I think kids 5+ would like this book!

**NOTE I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this, I wonder what people in North Dakota or Minnesota or places where it gets very cold and stays that way think of this. The town of Toby Mills is experiencing a cold snap. The author goes day by day and we can tell how cold it is by how long the icicle on the statue of General Toby's nose is. For a while the cold is fun. Kids go sledding, the Sullivan sisters knit mittens, Mrs. Moffatt sips lemony tea from a thermos. But by the end of a week, everyone is waiting for a break in the cold. The mayor can't do anything about the weather, but the mayor's wife comes up with a plan to lift the spirits of the townspeople. A fun story to read on a wintry day. Great, colorful illustrations. I checked this out of the library to read to my granddaughter who is 2 1/2, but I think it is probably more appropriate for children 4 and up.

[Lu Benke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glitter on the cover will get this checked out/picked up, but the storyline was just so-so. The illustrations were busy enough to keep an individual reader occupied but I didn't find them very appealing. The text had humor and exaggerations of the effects of the cold snap that seemed to me would appeal more to children in grades 2-4. I wonder if I would have liked it more if I hadn't been reading it following several days of snow in late March.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

After awhile, the illustrations with all the wonderful details started to remind me of Katy and the Big Snow. I love how almost every single thing mentioned in the text was there in the pictures somewhere (the only things I couldn't see were the thermometer at zero and the doughnuts at the bonfire).

[Kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this one. Also, the author makes it seem as though the temperature is ridiculously low, only to reveal that it just hit 0. Come on, now. And then by the time the thermometer reads 15 degrees, the snow (and the giant icicle) is melting and everything is dandy. I know it's a picture book, but even my kids knew that was off.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way the icicle on the statues nose grows longer and longer. This would be an excellent book to use in the classroom as it talks about the days of the week, temperature, and clever ways to stay warm. The pictures lead to lots of discussion as you look to find the characters and see the consequences of their winter antics!

[Jodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title and cover caught my eye and the pictures in the story as well. But, I have a hard time reading this when the cold snap gets to o degrees. Yes, that's cold but we've felt colder and 15 degrees will not melt the snow. So, I wanted to enjoy the story but couldn't get past these things.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Booklist starred September 1, 2012 (Vol. 109, No. 1)

Preschool-Grade 2. It’s winter in Toby Mills, a town where the children are taking full advantage of the snowy hills for winter fun. But each day, from Saturday to Friday, the temperature falls and the icicles lengthen. Though the townspeople help one another as best they can, they become increasingly stressed by the bitter, relentless cold. When the mayor announces a “winter surprise,” his shivering neighbors leave their homes that evening and trudge to the top of T-bone Hill, where a blazing bonfire warms their spirits and marks the end of the cold snap. A recipe for “Miss Dove’s sugar-on-snow candy,” served at the surprise celebration, is appended. Spinelli creates a keen sense of frigid weather and a strong sense of community in the text, which portrays the experience by spotlighting one person after another, from the café owners knitting a sweater for their cat to the mayor working late in “his toasty pink bunny slippers.” Full of color and activity, Priceman’s vivid gouache paintings offer many opportunities to watch the same characters engage in different activities from day to day. In both the writing and the artwork, colorful details bring the story to life. This shows just how warm cold can be. A delight for sharing, especially one-on-one.



Horn Book Spring 2013

The residents of Toby Mills experience bitterly cold temperatures while enjoying sledding, cooking, and other pursuits, including hunkering down to stay warm. Lively narrative pacing paired with Priceman's cheerful illustrations offer plenty of action while grounding the time frame with the lengthening icicle that forms on the town's General Toby statue from the tip of his prominent nose to the ground.



Kirkus Reviews starred October 1, 2012

A community caught under the pall of a weeklong cold snap comes together in this cozy, old-fashioned story that is high on both charm and appeal. The Toby Mills cold snap begins innocently enough on a Friday, with snow angels, sledding and an icicle on the nose of the statue of the town founder. On Saturday, soup and stew are popular menu items at the diner, and the icicle is chin-length. On Sunday, the heavily clothed townspeople shiver through church services. Wednesday is so cold that the mayor wears his robe and pink bunny slippers...at work. By Friday, the statue's icicle reaches the ground, along with everyone's patience. But the mayor's wife has just the solution--a warm winter surprise that brings out the best in everyone and makes them forget the cold. The quaint details in Spinelli's text that are brought to life in Priceman's gouache illustrations make this book stand out, giving it the air of an old-fashioned seek-and-find. "Franky Tornetta stopped whining about his itchy woolen socks and put on three pairs," and there he is in the picture, green socks layered over red and yellow. Boldly colored vignettes and spreads that depict the small-town setting and round-headed, pink-cheeked characters enhance the retro feel of the book. This may not be the most exciting or enthralling winter tale, but it is perfect for sharing during readers' own cold snaps--calming, reassuring, charming. (Picture book. 4-8)



Library Media Connection January/February 2013

In the town of Toby Mills, winter comes with a vengeance. The cold is measured by the length of the icicle that is attached to the nose of the statue in the town square. At first the icicle only hangs from the nose, the next day the icicle is longer. Each day the icicle grows longer, and the citizens cope in a variety of unique ways. At the end of the week, the mayor invites the whole town to a "Winter Surprise" which includes a bonfire, hot cider, and dancing. The next day the icicle and the cold snap shatter and the weather begins to heat up. This detailed story will give children an insight into winter activities. Illustrations and simple narration makes this a great addition to elementary winter collections. Recommended. Beverly Combs, Librarian, Parsons PreKindergarten School, Garland, Texas. RECOMMENDED



Publishers Weekly October 1, 2012

Winter fun becomes a little less so for the denizens of Toby Mills when a deep freeze descends upon their quaint small town. The first cold day is filled with sledding and snowballs, and the icicle hanging from the nose of a town statue is barely there. By week's end, the mercury has fallen steadily, shivering townsfolk have had their fill of trying to stay warm, and the icicle on General Toby's nose has reached the ground. Luckily, the mayor's wife comes up with a fiery, community-minded plan. From cocoa and sweaters to hot-water bottles, Spinelli (A Big Boy Now) catalogues all the ways people find warmth in winter; despite the harsh weather, her story has a nostalgic tone. Working in vibrant gouache, Priceman (Jazz Age Josephine) creates cheery winter wonderlands both indoors and out. Children in bright stocking caps and mittens whiz by on toboggans, and bundled-up customers sip "steamy soup and bubbling stew" at the local diner. She dots her fluffy snowscape with a rainbow of colorful houses, creating a cozy village that readers will long to visit, regardless of the forecast. Ages 5-8. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.



School Library Journal October 1, 2012

K-Gr 3-As the temperature drops in the town of Toby Mills, children stop playing outside, pets need sweaters, and adults start complaining to the mayor. Churchgoers huddle together, and Pastor Pickthorn preaches in earmuffs and an overcoat. After the furnaces and trains freeze up and the town becomes known as the new North Pole, the mayor's wife invites everyone to a bonfire on top of T-Bone Hill. Before the citizens can forget the fun they had that night, the cold snap ends with the shattering of an icicle that has been growing off the nose of a well-known statue in town. Although the glittery snow on the book's cover doesn't extend to the illustrations inside, the cool hues and imagery convey memories of chilly winter days. Full-page art and spreads, rendered in gouache, focus on characters young and old in this racially diverse town. Busy scenes show myriad activities, with snow-covered shops and houses in the background. Miss Dove's Sugar-On-Snow Candy recipe is included. Perfect for cozy sharing on a frosty, frigid day.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

[Claudia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little town called Toby Mills is experiencing a cold snap like they’ve never seen before. In the town the people must find ways to keep warm and have fun. In the end they all come together to stay warm and forget about the cold, until the cold snap passes. Cold Snap shows a lot of ways to keep warm or just things you during when it is cold out. This book also shows what happens when it gets cold outside. The book has a nice semi-repetitive pattern by mentioning several towns people by name. Each day the book talks about, it goes over what several are doing each day to get though the day with the extremely cold weather.
The illustrations are beautiful there is a lot of blue and white because of the snow, but it makes the other colors in the book really pop. Each house in the town is a different color and each page has many details in it. You spend a long time just looking at one page to find all the little things people are doing, even things the book doesn’t talk about. I really like the cover of the book as well, my copy feels textured and it sparkles, which really adds to the snowy effect.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very old-fashioned. A bit like Virginia Lee Burton at first. Also Louis Slobodkin and Louis Slobodkin, and even, in the name of the characters name "Moffat," Eleanor Estes... I'm assuming that's an homage.

And of course I must pick the nit that "zero" is not really all that cold, at least so those of us who grew up in the upper Midwest know.

Still, a charmer. Would that we all were so lucky to live in such civic-minded small-towns.

[Meghan Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a very cold winter storm in the town of Toby Mills. The story follows the town's citizens and all their misadventures during the cold spell. Is there any way they will be able to stay warm?

Such a fun story! I love how every day the icicle hanging from General Toby's nose dropped lower and lower. The pictures were so fun and whimsical. I thought it was funny when one man's feet got stuck to the floor because it was so cold and in the end, the town came together to warm up at a bonfire.

A great story to read when the air starts to turn cold. You can make Miss Dove's Sugar-On-Snow Candy and drink hot chocolate and cider. Children can discuss and write how they might stay warm during a winter storm.

[Erin Puskas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a pretty big fan of this book. I liked how there were consistent patterns that kids could realize and use to predict generally what was going to happen next. The illustrations were absolutely adorable! It would be a great book to read after coming back from a snow day, so that students can relate to the cold temperatures and use their own life experiences to make connections to this book.

[C.G.Koens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little book to read to the kids - very quick, fun illustrations, cute story line and characters. I was looking for some wintery-type books to include in our reading rotation as we're past the Christmas season and it's not time to pull out Valentine books just yet, and this one fit the bill.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a charming book about how residents of a little town are handling the "cold snap" that has hit come. I loved the different characters it follows, including how long the icicle on the founding fathers statue in the middle of town is, and how they find a way to come together and celebrate despite the less than ideal circumstances. Wonderful story!

[DoRena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This became an instant favorite with my kids. They call it "the booger book" because they enjoy watching the icicle growing on a statue's nose (the book doesn't call it a booger, but my toddler made the connection).

We have decided the story must take place in the south, if reaching the temperature of zero is a new record.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of characters who I couldn't really keep up with differentiating, but the story was cute and I enjoyed the illustrations. The recipe at the end is the same that I just learned from my NH native boss yesterday - about eating a bite of pickle or doughnut with maple candy. Funny coincidence.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a significantly longer book, text-wise, so it's best for kids who love wintery snowtime tales and who can sit through long stories. A recipe for maple syrup snow candy is included in the back of the book.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colorful and fun illustrations. Story about a town's experience of winter and making the best of it. Simple but detailed writing with lots of names and sound effects. Lots of kindness and consideration shown among the towns people. Creative and relatable!