When the Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall

by Jean Reidy, Joey Chou (Illustrator)

When the Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall is a charming rhyming picture book celebrating the fun of snow and the coziness of winter. Find a frosty window./ Watch the flakes fall./ Look! The snow is deeper than my toes are tall. With young, rhyming verse and bright illustrations, Jean Reidy and Joey Chou captures the joy and excitement of a big snowfall. As the snow climbs over a boy's toes, ankles, shins, and boots, there's more and more fun to be had—snowmen, sledding, snow angels, and, finally, a cup of hot cocoa by a warm fire.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Family, Childrens, Fiction, Christmas, Juvenile

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2019

About the author

Jean Reidy’s bestselling and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages and from all over the world. She is honored to be a three-time winner of the Colorado Book Award, a Parent’s Choice Gold Award Winner, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor winner and recognized on “Best of” lists by School Library Journal, the New York Times, NPR and Amazon. Jean writes from her home in Chicago where she lives just a short walk from her neighborhood library … which she visits nearly every day.

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about a snowy day. Our young narrator tells us, in rhyme, about how deep the snow is getting, relating its depth to parts of his body (e.g., it's up to his ankles, it's over the tops of his boots, etc.). Eventually, though, the snowy day turns uncomfortable: cold toes, wet cheeks, and a hat-stealing wind. So after a last bit of fun, the boy goes inside with his family to share the other side of a snowy day: the coziness of a fire, hot drinks, and companionship.

It's a charming story. The meter of the rhyming text is okay. The illustrations are fairly strong, if simple; they're colourful and cute.

Overall, this is a nice little winter-themed picture book that doesn't incorporate any holidays (as so many winter titles do) and instead focuses on the experience of being outside when it's snowing.

[Carol Farrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy rhyming books for children and this one is definitely a rhyming book with rhythm and it almost makes it a song. It is about the joys of snow, and the family having fun in the snow.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, adorable little book!  Celebrating both winter and spending time as a family, Reidy and Chou's book is an attestation to the joys to be found in being together.  With lyrical prose and bright, fun illustrations, this book is sure to entertain and delight, especially by the fire with some hot cocoa!  I'm just delighted at this new trend of both children's independence but also recognizing the fun that families can have when everyone is together.  Great for kids that love the outdoors and playing in the snow, and perfect for grades K-2!

Review cross-listed here!

[Abby Johnson]

Oh, this is a super cute, bouncy rhyming book about the joys of playing in the snow and seeing it pile up deeper and deeper. The rhythm of the text is a little awkward sometimes - I would practice reading it before reading to a group - but it's really so cute and includes a lot of great sound words and vocabulary that make it a great choice for storytime.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Snow is Deeper than My Boots are Tall By Jean Reidy, illustrations by Joey Chou PICTURE BOOK Godwin Books Henry Holt (MacMillan), 2019 $17 9781250127129

BUYING ADVISORY:, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

It’s finally snowing! A little boy goes out to play and measure the depth by where the snow hits his boots. At first it’s only as deep as his ankles, but as it continues to snow, soon it’s as high as his shins, then his boots, then he gets a rescue from his mama and papa who are tall enough to easily walk in the deep snow.

Darling illustrations highlight this sweet story about playing in the snow. The text is poetry, and, while not always rhythmically consistent, fun for a great read aloud. I loved the messages of fun and family, outside play and comfort inside. Also, don’t miss the dog and cat, as they enjoy the text, too.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s finally snowing! A little boy goes out to play and measure the depth by where the snow hits his boots. At first it’s only as deep as his ankles, but as it continues to snow, soon it’s as high as his shins, then his boots, then he gets a rescue from his mama and papa who are tall enough to easily walk in the deep snow.

Darling illustrations highlight this sweet story about playing in the snow. The text is poetry, and, while not always rhythmically consistent, fun for a great read aloud. I loved the messages of fun and family, outside play and comfort inside. Also, don’t miss the dog and cat, as they enjoy the text, too.

For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little boy goes out into the snow, builds a snowman, and comments throughout the day on how high the snow hits on his body (starting with ankles, then shins, then tops of the boots, knees, etc). Might be able to incorporate some actions in here (snowball fight, "rolling" arms to make a snowman). It waxes a bit philosophical at the end about never feeling small. A good book for cuddles if you can get the cadence of the rhythm.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but I couldn't get into the cadence of the rhyming. For this reason, it felt willy-nilly in spots.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While adults have their own challenges navigating ice and snow, this picture book makes readers consider the plight of a child as the snow continues to fall and ends up quite deep. The rhyming text through which the story is told makes it fun to share aloud. Readers in snowier climes are likely to relate to all the work that goes into just getting ready to outdoors to play in the snow and the fun of snowball fights and fashioning a snowman. Even while the child is playing with friends and joined by the family cat and dog, the snow is increasingly, indicated in the images but also by mention of body parts to measure its height: ankles, shins, and knees. But the adults in the child's life come to the rescue and join in the fun before going back inside where it's warm and safe and dry. This picture book offers reassurance that it's perfectly okay to venture forth into the world since someone at home has your back. The lively digital illustrations created with Adobe Photoshop made me smile because they capture so well just how fast snow flakes can mount up and how frolicking in the snow can turn into a somewhat unsettling experience once that snow makes it hard for someone to move. How strange and wonderful that something so light as a snowflake can become so heavy when accompanied by thousands of others!

[Margaret]

Two of three publications released in November 2019 remind us of all the fun-filled activities to be enjoyed outside in winter. The third book focuses on a hesitate hibernator. In an alphabetical journey with a new-found friend, he makes his way back home.

When The Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall (Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company, November 5, 2019) written by Jean Reidy with illustrations by Joey Chou will have eager readers ready for a romp in the out-of-doors. There is something special about an unexpected snowstorm. It's an open invitation brimming with possibilities.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

What happened to the rhymes? Where did the rhythm go? The fun times and meter got lost in the snow. Enough of that nonsense. Many people said this was "cozy and cute." I am saying it is "cute and cloying." This adorably saccharine-sweet story will hopefully melt away from your consciousness faster than a snowflake on a tongue. While it says that the author writes from her home in Colorado and loves the snow, I grew up in Michigan and knew many a snow day as a child. This story is NOT how playing in the snow works.

All in all the illustrations are the best part.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book written for toddlers and preschoolers that explores through rhyming text the wonders of winter! I loved how the depth of the snow is measured by how far up the little boy's body it goes when he walks in the snow. The illustrations are bright and colorful making it a fun book to share out loud.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rolling rhyming tale of how a little boy spends a winter day outside playing in the snow as it falls and gets deeper the longer he plays in it. It finally gets deeper than his boots are tall, and he retreats inside.

[Neha Thakkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely celebration of snow and winter and family. I would pair it with The Snowy Day and perhaps The Jacket I Wear In The Snow. ❄️ ⛄️ I’d also use it as a mentor text for poetry: mixed rhythms and rhymes.

[Miss Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The snow keeps getting deeper and deeper. It goes from the little boy's toes, and up to his ankles, shins, and taller then his boots. He also does fun things in the snow like a snowball fight, building a snowman and making snow-angels.

[Chelsea Kapaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute! As a winter-lover I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Great to read aloud.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute title!

[Danielle Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfect read for a snow day!

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such fun illustrations!

Used with my toddler group and they were a little ramy. Will be a great book to use with my preschool group.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weak on story but a lively, bouncy rhyming text makes for a good read aloud.

[Tessa Baer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book, especially for storytime.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming text will be a fun romp for winter themed storytime

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will make you wish that it was snowing outside!

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming text could flow more smoothly in this wintery snow family adventure but the bright colors and adorable illustrations are full of fun!

[mg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great math concepts - tall, taller... shapes fill the illustrations... AND a fun snow book!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love winter and snow so this book caught my eye right away. The illustrations are cute and the story is nice, however, I felt like I stumbled over the rhythm a few times.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young child documents in short burst of text and bright pictures all that happens with his family on a snow day. Preschool and up

[Zan Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child enjoys playing in snow with their family.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A smidge long for a toddler storytime, but can easily be paperclipped in a couple spots. Super cute illustrations.

[Kids Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story but the illustrations are 'square', maybe thats the new way of drawing? the pics just seem harsh