Snow Scene

by Richard Jackson, Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Illustrations)

"A playful guessing game set in a snowy landscape"--

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Nature, Fiction, Animals

40 pages, Hardcover

First published November 7, 2017

About the author

Richard Jackson has been an editor/publisher of children’s books since 1962. He gave the May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture in 2005, the year of his official retirement, but is still working--now as an author himself. He lives with his wife and near his grandchildren in Towson, Maryland.

Reviews

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

Chosen solely because there was snow falling down outside my window, I checked this e-book out to share with my reading group, assuming there was more of a story here than there was. Spare words set on painted canvases, set in seasonal views shot me back to my childhood - Mom was a painter, and the style was quite like hers. I missed her. She would have appreciated this book.

We toddled through the seasons starting with winter, and working our way through the brighter seasons and back to winter. We noted the colors of paint chosen, and in the winter scenes much was made about "light" and "white". . .I mentioned my mother's fascination with painting light, and how much skill it required to do it right.

Sometimes a book has more meaning for the person reading aloud than the group to which the book is being read. They engaged well enough, but I suspect this was more my moment then theirs.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this one... I probably want to try it out with a storytime group before I give it anything other than a middle of the road rating. I usually like using guessing game books because they're great for audience participation. But so many objects here are so small on the page or so abstract I'm not sure most preschoolers could recognize them. The season changes are very abrupt too, rapidly transitioning from winter to spring to summer, and making this Snow Scene story feel a little all over the place.

That said, Laura Vaccaro Seeger's acrylic paint illustrations are lovely, the thick brush strokes creating landscapes that are rich with texture. Her color choices perfectly evoke the seasons she is depicting, whether the cool blues and purples of the winter forest, or the pink and white blossoms bursting on the spring trees. And I absolutely love the book's final line: "Winter's hat!" in reference to the snow-capped mountain. What a great way to introduce kids to metaphorical language! Overall, though, this picture book is a little bit of a mixed bag.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explore a snowy area with this inviting and engaging picture book. With very simple text that asks readers to guess at what is coming next, this book has a freshness that is very appealing. The simple text focuses on speaking directly to the reader, showing different aspects of a snowy day that slowly transitions to spring and then summer, where snow is only on the far mountain top. The art by Seeger has a strong textural element that will have small children running their fingers over the smooth pages. It is rich and inviting, sometimes close up and other times just hinting at what is to come. This seasonal picture book celebrates snow in all of its forms, winter and summer. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reliable Richard Jackson, carefully chosen words and a gentle tone to the language. A notable departure from Seeger's usual illustrative style--the paint is layered so thickly you feel like you can touch it. A solid winter-into-spring picture book.

[Maeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations; text sounds weird. I don't know how this would go over in storytime...

[Robin Raines-Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, simple and spectacular.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning acrylic illustrations that bear a second and third look are the attractions in this picture book celebrating the seasons, but mostly the winter as can be surmised from its title. Questions guide readers through the book's pages as they try to determine what various shapes are. I liked the singsong and rhythmic quality of the text in parts but some of them ["sight white," for instance] didn't really work for me. While I can understand the appeal of leaving winter behind as occurs in the book with spring's blossoming, the title led me to believe that the book would focus on winter, which is not entirely the case. The last page with the identification of a snowy mountain peak as "Winter's hat!" made me smile, and it just might make some youngsters smile as well while encouraging them to think of ways to describe some winter scenes in creative ways. The images themselves are worth several reads, and teachers could use the book's images as a guessing game for listeners.

[Benjamin Elliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the textured illustrations, but the questions used to transition from page to page seemed clunky. Was it supposed to make the book more interactive? It didn't really work for me. The second half of the story also took me by surprise. There had been no indication that the first portion wasn't describing the scene of a single day in winter so the rapid time progression in the final pages felt disjointed and out of place.

Different text could probably transform these illustrations into a 4 star book or better, but not with what we have here.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jackson, Richard Snow Scene, illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook (Macmillan). 2017 $18. 9781626726802

Seeger’s beautiful winter scenes really steal the show here. I get the rhyming scheme, but sometimes the word needed for the rhyme is forced. Nd when the author resorts to saying “this” three times – I feel like he was told he only had this many pages and he’d better not go over.

Pre-K – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Smoot M.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book in that it is simple and focuses on different aspects of winter. Introduces vocabulary that is related to the season. Definitely an early reader with nice bright pictures and colors. Through the end of the book there is contrast with an introduction to spring and summer but yet on the mountain top you see the remains of winter. Bringing you back to what the book was about.
A different perspective of a winter scene.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sparse rhyming text invites reader to guess about common winter scenes, ending with summer, where a 'winter hat' provides a surprise ending.
Colorful paintings from acrylic on canvas are very close up so the texture of the canvas shows.

[Kate Puleo Unger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book also had a guessing game element. The pictures really make this book. It’s page after page of beautiful snow scenes with hidden objects kind of. We liked it. It was fairly simplistic, but fun.

https://momsradius.com/2018/03/juveni...

[Viviane Elbee]

This book has very little text, and is mostly question and answer about what readers will see on the next page. Since it rhymes, kids familiar with rhyme might have a bit more luck with their guesses.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures are pretty but I did not like the awkward text.

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will be interested to hear the response of children to this book. The text is a bit strange to me.

The illustrations are great at depicting the outdoors.

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read to see if it would make a good storytime book. I don't think it'll grab their attention.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that encourages kids to make predictions about what will be on the next page. A mostly winter story but it also goes through some of the other seasons.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

textured illustrations (paint on canvas)

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay but some of the rhymes were not great especially, "and since? Small prints" maybe "and glimpse? Small prints" I liked the ending--winter's hat and the painting were lovely.

[molliekay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this one was great! The rhyming words make it into a game and great for working on phonological awareness.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snowy scenes turn into Spring with lots of leading questions for the audience to answer.

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought this would be a good storytime pick, but after reading, I say no. The illustrations are fine, but the text is rambly and random. The kids would never be able to "guess" what's next.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pictures are too abstract for a storytime, a better lap read. The text is a bit odd, I thought I’d missed a page, and the story is minimal. Many pictures are too blurry for an effective I spy. 3-6.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fine. Could use it as a read-aloud with 2-4 y/o.

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read with very few word and lots of questions. Could be used with making predictions and seasons.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Attractive but not especially engaging.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for storytime about winter. Goes all the way to summer. I loved the oil painting pictures.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Decent art, but an annoying read.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice book for the very young.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetic spare text, beautiful winter paintings. Tie-in with preschool study of seasons.