The Snow Child

by Freya Littledale, Barbara Lavallee (Illustrator)

An elderly childless couple fashion a little girl out of snow and are amazed when she comes to life

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Christmas, Fiction, Folk Tales, Classics

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Freya Littledale (1929 - 1992) was a children's book author, adapter, and editor. Most of her works were retold fairytales.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I interlibrary loaned this children's book because I read Eowyn Ivey's novel, The Snow Child and I absolutely loved it. At the end of Ivey's novel, in the reading group guide, Ivey mentions that there were several books that influenced her writing. This children's book was the book that started her mind spinning and inspired her to write her own novel based off of the Russian fairytale. This Childen’s version is written very well and was very similar to Ivey’s full length novel. I really enjoyed this simplified, magical tale. When I read this to my three year old, as soon as I finished the last page, she promptly said, "Read it again, Mommy.” Although the illustrations feel a little out dated, they keep the story warm and comforting. I plan to read another children's book that influenced Iveys writing, Little Daughter of the, Snow. Also, just another tid- bit of information for those of you who enjoyed Eowyn Ivey's novel, I learned that Tchaikovsky wrote a beautiful instrumental song called The Snow Maiden. There is also a ballet based on this Russian fairytale.

[Ms BooksAholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my daughter and she absolutely enjoyed it! The pictures in the book are very pretty. It's a great book to read to the children around the holidays. The Snow Child is a heart-warming story. About an older couple who want a child of their own, so they make a snow child one winter. Such a beautiful story.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the book that got me into writing :,)

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Snow Child is a picture book retelling of the Slavic fairy tale "The Snow Maiden" (Снегурочка).

This was one of my favorite books as a child. Unfortunately, it was in the box of books ruined by a water leak, and my copy has been lost.

In this retelling of "The Snow Maiden," an elderly childless couple builds a little girl out of snow, and she comes to life, but being a child of snow, she cannot stay with them forever. It is bittersweet and beautiful.

I read the original edition with Leon Shtainmets's illustrations. They gave the story an authentic Russian feel. There is a newer edition with illustrations by Barbara Lavallee. While hers are a very magical, they are also very whimsical and change the mood of the story.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child, I had two fairy tale books, and I avidly read them many times over. Of course, I had my favorites, which I read even more often. This story wasn't in my books, and I never saw it in the library, so I didn't read it until I started to read aloud to my nieces and nephews.

This version starts very traditionally, "Once upon a time in a faraway village, there lived an old man and his wife." What follows is a wonderfully fun story with art by Lavallee that makes the story come alive.

I wonder if I'd like other versions as well as I do this one.

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to read folktales. A nice story time read.
✨✨✨✨✨

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated version of the Russian folk tale, and I enjoyed it very much. I think the concepts, about wanting a child so much, and being willing to accept one just part of the year, are way too difficult for a child to comprehend, but as an adult who once wanted a child desperately, I could relate quite well.

Read this book again, while reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, and really enjoyed remembering the Russian folk tale as it is described in the novel.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The above edition isn't the one I have.
I have a1978 scholastic printing illustrated by Leon Shtainmets. I had been looking for this book for a while and was so excited to finally get a copy of it. I love it.
It's a beautiful sweet folk tale.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our LDS Relief Society Book Club is reading the The Snow Child for our February book. While finding info on it, I found the book on which it was based--This Russian folktale. It finally arrived at the library via inter-library loan. It is a quick read---a DELIGHTFUL quick read. The story is not only wonderful, but the illustrations were, too. This is a book I might want to buy.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story that inspired Eowyn Ivey's full length novel, The Snow Child. A cute children's book.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this Russian Folktale so it is no surprise that I enjoyed this version. It is too wordy for a toddler, but for a slightly older child, maybe a kindergartner who can't quite read but can follow a story, it is perfect.

[Benjamin L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book my dad read to my brothers and my elementary school classes he used a Polish accent, It is the best Christmas season book to read next to a few others. I absolutely can't wait to read it to my niece. I love this book.

[Elyse Mcnulty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Snow Child by Freya Littledale is the translated, form Russian, fairy tale The Snow Child was based on. This small paperback was beautify illustrated and a lovely story I will save to read to my newborn Grand baby boy.
Enjoy.

[Mely · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mom who battles with infertility, I found this book very relatable. A touching story. Glad I was able to share the moment with my toddler.

[Linda Fast · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very sweet book for children

[Tessa Brubaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had completely forgotten about this story, but seeing the illustrations again brought back so many warm feelings🤗

[Bob Foote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great children’s book version of the story

[Tara Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that this was one of my favorite books when I was right around the age of my youngest. It's short and sweet, but The Snow Child by Freya Littledale is also magical and wonderful and just the perfect story for a little girl to jump in to.

I won a gift card to Amazon in a giveaway recently (thank you PUYB Promotions!) and used it to complete a collection of books that I've been trying to complete for some time, buy a couple of movies I've always wanted to watch with my girls, and get them a little something special as well. My oldest got some origami things and my youngest got The Snow Child. It's actually the second time I've gotten it for her, the first copy I gave her disappeared. But that's ok, I love the book so I'm more than happy for her to get a second chance to read it.

It's a Russian folk tale about an older couple who is sad because they've never had any children. One winter day after all the children have gone home they decide to go out and build their own little snow person. They build a little girl and trim her dress in icicles and and give her willow branches covered in frost for hair. She comes to life when the old lady gives her a kiss and spends all winter with them. Spring comes though and she has to leave which makes the old couple sad again. But, much like Frosty the Snow Man, she comes back again the next winter, and every winter after.

It's just a sweet sweet story and it has a happy ending that just makes you smile and kind of warms your heart. I love the illustrations and all the beautiful colors. It's all very whimsical and playful. There really isn't much more that I can say about this little story. Even though it's a cute winter tale, it's still a fun read for little ones (or if you're like me and you've read it long long ago, adults too) no matter what season it is. So if you've got a little girl (or even a little boy) who wants you to read something to them or heck, if they want to read it themselves, I'd recommend this one. It will forever be one of my favorites.

[Tia Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this while decluttering my house. A gift from my childhood. Reread it super quick just to remember what it's all about and it was absolutely stunning. Such a touching story, probably even more so as an adult.

[Katy Womack · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Snow Child is a Russian Folklore about an old couple who were unhappy because they had no children. One winter, after watching the children in the town build snowmen, they decided to build themselves a Snow Child, a little girl they could pretend was real. But when they were finished, the old woman kissed the Snow Child and she sprang to life. The couple was finally happy because they had a child of their own. But when spring came, the Snow Child had to leave to be where it is cold. The couple was very sad and missed their little girl terribly, fearing they would never see her again. But when the next winter came, the Snow Child returned claiming that she is "a child of the snow" and she will always come back "as the cold wind blows."

This was such a cute story, very similar to Frosty the Snowman. This would be a great read aloud in grades K-2, or an independent read in grades 3-5. I think there is something that most elementary students can get out of this book. I really enjoyed reading it. It would be a great story to tell or study "as the cold wind blows."

[...m... · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this book well from when I was a child. I was excited to see that we had it on our bookshelf. It has been handed down from family - or it may even be the one that I kept through the years. I wish I knew for sure.

My version of the book came with a cassette and I would listen to it often.

Now that I am older, and have a child of my own - I do appreciate the story more. If I were rating it - I would give it a 3 instead of 4 because of the bittersweet narrative. But - my daughter loved the book - just as I did when I was small.

She was smiling throughout the entire thing. And - asked me to read it again but to her "baby lion" that she sleeps with...just so she could hear it a second time. :o)

Tonight - she has also asked for a repeat reading of the book. This may be one she will be able to recite to me soon enough. :oD

[Carmen Nibali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snow child is about an elderly couple that wanted a child. They create a child out of snow that comes to life after their loving kiss. All the children in the town and her parents fall in love with her. As the weather gets warmer they have to say their goodbyes. The good thing about this story is she comes back every winter with the first snowflake fall. The book is magical and full of snowy illustrations on each page. The story is a wonderful Russian folklore written by Freya LittleDale. Sometimes in the classroom I use this book to introduce spring in a different light. The children in my class love this book and ask to read it year round. I give this book four stars for all the reasons I stated wonderful easy to read book. Snow child is intended for all ages and many adults as well as children enjoy this book.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A elderly couple wish they had a child. So they go out in the snow and build a snow child. The old man kisses the snow girl and she becomes alive. The are all very happy and she stays with them all winter, but when the last of the snow melts, she has to go to where the cold places are. The elderly couple are very sad and thought they would never see their snow child again. The next winter at the first snow, they look out the window and she is standing in their yard. They are all very happy and now know that she will come back to them whenever it snows.

I really enjoyed this Russian Folktale talking about snow coming to life.

I would use this in my classroom when it snows for the first time of the year.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of our goals in preschool is to expand the knowledge of the children in our classroom and books are a good way to do this as we read a wide variety of topics and types of books. The Snow Child: A Russian Folktale is a good book to talk about folktales, the country of Russia and snow. Reading favorite books many times with a discussion of each topic with different readings helps the children to organize their thoughts and learn about all the different topics rather than cover them all in one reading. The story also has a pretend aspect when The Snow Child comes to life for the old couple.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite childrens' stories from when I was little.

A woman who cannot have children goes outside one winter morning and decides to build a little girl made of snow to ease her loneliness. She kisses the snow child's lips and- lo and behold- the child comes to life!

Not only is the story charming, but the pictures are gorgeous and enhance the story, building character and depth into this seemingly simple kids' book.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this story. As I read reviews, I found many people loved it as children. It is a Russian folk tale that the author Eowyn Ivey mentioned in the Q and A at the back of her novel, "The Snow Child."

The copy I have is a used copy from Amazon. It is 5x5. Quite tiny. I didn't pay attention to the size when I got it. I think I want to try and find a bigger copy. The illustrations are quite lovely and it is a sweet story.

[Carol Royce Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully told and illustrated, this is the story of an old couple who longs for a child. When no child comes, they make their own out of ice and snow, and with a kiss the child comes alive. The snow child becomes a favorite of the village children, but when warm weather comes she must go away. This saddens the couple, but as soon as the cold returns the child, too returns.

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's sad when a person can't learn to be content instead of mourning for what he can't have. It boils down to choosing either selfishness or choosing the kind of love that helps others which is the only kind of love that brings fulfillment and true joy. This fable celebrates selfishness and discontentment. Neither are character traits that should be encouraged in our children.

[eRin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this in the box of old children's books (although my cover is much better). I clearly remember this from my childhood and remember loving it. Just as sweet and cute today -- except for maybe the fact that the "child" disappears during the warm months and upsets the parents. Nice story.

[Molly Darr]

This book is an all time favorite to many growing up. It tells a cute story of a couple creating a girl out of snow and she really comes to life. Throughout the story the journey unfolds of the snow child.